Klobuchar Statement on Waiver to Allow the Year-Round Sale of Higher Blends of Ethanol

Statement

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) issued the below statement on the Biden administration's announcement that it will approve an emergency waiver to allow the year-round sale of E15, a blend of fuel containing 15 percent ethanol, along with other steps to increase the use of biofuels. Last month, Klobuchar and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to make E15 available year-round.

"I have long pushed to make E15 available year-round and have introduced bipartisan legislation to do just that," said Klobuchar. "Investing in affordable, readily-available biofuels produced in the U.S. will benefit our economy, decrease prices at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I am glad to see the administration take this initial step to diversify our fuel supply in an affordable way, and I will continue to push for more permanent solutions."

In addition to permitting the sale of year-round E15, the Biden administration announced progress on several actions Klobuchar has called for including:

Providing pandemic assistance to biofuel producers.
The Department of Agriculture today announced that biofuel producers can expect funding awards before the end of April from the new Biofuel Producer Program that is part of the Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Klobuchar has long pushed for pandemic relief for biofuel producers, and her bipartisan Renewable Fuel Feedstock Reimbursement Act with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reimburse biofuel producers for their feedstock purchases in early 2020 when the pandemic began was included in the coronavirus relief package signed into law in December 2020. Klobuchar and Grassley also led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in a letter to USDA urging the department to assist biofuel producers hurt by the pandemic.
Adding canola oil to the Renewable Fuel Standard program
The EPA is also announcing efforts to expand supply and choices for other forms of fuel, such as diesel and jet fuel. They are proposing a new approval for canola oil that will add new pathways for renewable fuels to participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. This follows a bipartisan letter led by Senator Klobuchar in June 2021 calling on the EPA to expedite the consideration of renewable diesel facilities to utilize canola oil and receive advanced biofuel credit under the RFS.
Strengthening biofuels infrastructure.
Klobuchar has led several pieces of bipartisan legislation to improve our nation's biofuel infrastructure, including the Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Act. The bill would expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels by providing resources to retail gas stations for upgrading and installing biofuel infrastructure like underground storage tanks and blender pumps. Klobuchar and Senator John Thune (R-SD) also introduced legislation to create a tax credit for each gallon of fuel containing E15.
Klobuchar has been a strong advocate for permitting the year-round sale of E15 and increasing the use of biofuels.

In addition to making E15 available year-round, Klobuchar's Home Front Energy Independence Act would also establish an E15 tax credit and extend the tax credit for biodiesel, direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize their E15 labeling rule, and provide for biofuel infrastructure and compatibility with retailers.

Last month Klobuchar also joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in the Senate in a letter calling on the administration to approve the year-round sale of E15.

Last July, Klobuchar and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced another bipartisan bill to permit the year-round sale of E15. The introduction of this legislation immediately followed the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruling against year-round sales of E15.

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