Iowa Biodiesel Board Commends Finkenauer for RFS Letter to Trump

(ANKENY, Iowa) – Iowa biodiesel producers and soybean growers today thanked U.S. Representative Abby Finkenauer for her leadership on a letter sent to President Trump, urging him to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard and deny the requests for a waiver from five oil state governors. In all, 44 members of the House signed on to the bipartisan letter.

Grant Kimberley, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, issued the following statement:

“We thank Rep. Finkenauer, alongside Rep. Dave Loebsack, for leading this bipartisan effort in the House to defend the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard and call attention to the oil industry’s latest play to maintain its monopoly on the fuel market.

“The pandemic has damaged the market for biofuels and further harmed farmers in an already struggling farm economy. We appreciate the representative’s leadership in standing with our farmers and rural economies during this difficult time, and we are grateful that all of Iowa’s Congressional Representatives joined her in signing this letter. We urge President Trump to heed calls from Congress to deny any request for statewide or nationwide waivers from the 2020 RFS blending requirements under the Clean Air Act.” 

A similar letter from the U.S. Senate, led by Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, also made its way to the president’s desk.

Biodiesel is an advanced biofuel made from agricultural byproducts and co-products, such as soybean oil. The IBB is a state trade association representing the biodiesel industry. 

For more information on biodiesel, visit IowaBiodiesel.org.