Smith, Budzinski Lead Letter Urging the Admin to Support America’s Biofuel Industry

Today, U.S. Representatives Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), led a bipartisan letter with 37 of their colleagues to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright urging the administration to maintain its commitments to America's biofuel industry.

In the letter, the lawmakers ask the administration to uphold its commitment to American grown energy by proposing a supplemental rule that preserves the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard's (RFS) biofuel volume requirements for 2026 and 2027 by October 15, 2026. They warn that delays would undermine much-needed market certainty for American farmers and biofuel producers while putting savings at the pump for American families at risk.

The lawmakers write: "The stakes for our constituents could not be higher. Biofuel demand keeps commodity prices competitive for farmers, sustains tens of thousands of rural manufacturing jobs, and delivers measurable savings at the pump for working families. E15 saves drivers an average of 30 cents per gallon compared to E10. B20 biodiesel runs approximately 11 cents cheaper than regular diesel. The 2026 and 2027 volumes in Set 2 were built to capture these cost-savings at scale, but SREs alongside a flawed reallocation approach would erase them."

In addition to Smith and Budzinski, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Angie Craig (D-MN), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Jim Baird (R-IN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Mike Bost (R-IL), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Kristen McDonald Rivert (D-MI), Mary Miller (R-IL), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Mark Alford (R-MO), James Comer (R-KY), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), John Rose (R-TN), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Don Bacon (R-NE), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Rudy Yakym (R-IN), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Mike Flood (R-NE), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Max Miller (R-OH), Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), and Donald Davis (D-N.C.).

Read the full letterhere or below:

Administrator Zeldin and Secretary Wright:

The Set 2 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) are the strongest in the history of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), supporting a much-needed market for American farmers, feedstock processors, biofuel producers, and rural economies. Our constituents responded to that call to action with investment, expansion, and hiring across the biofuels value chain. Further, the administration's commitment to reallocate the waived Small Refinery Exemption (SRE) volumes announced on August 31, 2026, reinforced this market signal.

We write today to urge swift action to propose a supplemental rule by October 15th which ensures obligated volumes are in line with those announced under Set 2 for compliance years 2026 and 2027. Until the supplemental rule process is complete, the market will not be able to fully respond, putting the momentum of the Set 2 RVO, and the lower fuel prices that homegrown biofuels provide for American families, at risk.

The stakes for our constituents could not be higher. Biofuel demand keeps commodity prices competitive for farmers, sustains tens of thousands of rural manufacturing jobs, and delivers measurable savings at the pump for working families. E15 saves drivers an average of 30 cents per gallon compared to E10. B20 biodiesel runs approximately 11 cents cheaper than regular diesel. The 2026 and 2027 volumes in Set 2 were built to capture these cost-savings at scale, but SREs alongside a flawed reallocation approach would erase them.

Now more than ever, it's critical that our biofuels policy delivers certainty for American farmers, biofuels producers, and consumers. We stand ready to work with you in implementing a supplemental rule which is consistent with Set 2 projections, and encourage you to ensure that DOE conducts meaningful, transparent engagement with biofuel stakeholders on any methodology change for adjudicating future SREs.