Governors urge EPA to set strong 2026 RFS RVOs
The governors of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Missouri urged the U.S. EPA to boost 2026 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) targets, citing biofuels’ $80 billion economic impact and 150,000 supported jobs. They called for RVOs of at least 15 billion gallons for ethanol and 5.25 billion for biodiesel to sustain rural economies and support continued industry investment.
The governors of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Missouri on April 10 sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the agency to set higher Renewable Fuel Standard renewable volume obligations (RVOs).
The letter stresses the importance of the renewable fuels industry to farmers and the rural economy, citing data that shows ethanol and biodiesel production was responsible for $80 million in economic activity in 2022. The industries also supported more than 150,000 jobs.
While the biofuels industry has made significant investments to expand biofuel production capacity and strengthen feedstock supply, previous RFS RVOs have failed to reflect that growth, the governors wrote. As a result, an increasing number of biofuel producers have been forced to slow or cease operations, costing rural communities jobs and weakening key markets for U.S. farmers.
“To support the long-term stability of the U.S. biofuels sector and rural economy, we urge the EPA to establish a 2026 RVO of no less than 15 billion gallons for conventional ethanol and 5.25 billion gallons for biomass-based diesel—reflecting the growth in domestic production capacity and feedstock supply,” the governors wrote. “Setting higher volumes will send a strong, long-term signal to the market giving biofuel producers and American farmers the confidence to invest, grow, and sustain their operations. For our multi-generational farm families, a strong RVO is more than policy—it’s a critical foundation for their future.”
The letter is signed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Go. Jim Pillen, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden, and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe. A full copy of the letter is available on Rhoden’s website.
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Source : Ethanol Producer Magazine
