Ernst Statement on Final RFS RVO Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, made the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released their final rule on Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2018 along with setting the 2019 RVOs for biodiesel:

“Today, the EPA has upheld their commitment to set the volume requirements for conventional ethanol for 2018 at approved levels, and I am pleased that this administration is keeping its pledge to rural America to support the RFS. However, I am disappointed that the 2019 biodiesel numbers were held flat at the bare minimum level that the Administrator committed to. Moving forward, I will continue pressing the EPA to further bolster the biodiesel and cellulosic requirements.

“I am glad to see my efforts, and those of my colleagues, to hold the EPA accountable to the letter and spirit of the RFS as intended by Congress have been successful thus far, and I will continue working tirelessly to protect and defend the RFS.”