The co-chairs of the US House Biofuels Caucus introduced two new pieces of legislation to increase access to biofuels and to recognize fully their environmental benefits. Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) and Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13) led introduction of the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act, which would expand access to higher blends of biofuels.

Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD-AL) was the lead sponsor of the Adopt GREET Act, which will direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel.

Senators had earlier introduced their versions of the legislation. (Earlier post.)

The Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act would authorize $500 million over 5 years for infrastructure grants for fuel retailers and direct the EPA Administrator to finalize a proposed rule to repeal E15 labeling requirements warning drivers about E15’s potential impact on cars, which may confuse and deter drivers from using E15, a blend of gasoline with 15 percent ethanol.

The bill would also direct the EPA Administrator to finalize provisions from the same proposed rule to allow certain existing Underground Storage Tanks (UST) to store higher blends of ethanol.

The Adopt GREET Act would require the EPA to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel by requiring the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model for both fuels. EPA would then be required to update its modeling every five years or report to Congress to affirm its modeling is current or otherwise explain why no updates were made.

Both pieces of legislation are supported by the National Corn Growers Association, the Renewable Fuels Association, the American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, and POET.

Last month, Angie Craig (MN-02) and Rep. Johnson led the House Biofuels Caucus co-chairs in introducing the Renewable Fuels Integrity Act. The legislation would require small refineries to submit a petition for a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) hardship exemption by 1 June of each year, allowing EPA to properly account for exempted gallons in the annual Renewable Volume Obligations set each November. The bill would also increase transparency by mandating the public disclosure of data surrounding SREs—a process that has previously been carried out behind closed doors with little to no congressional oversight.

Reps. Rodney Davis (IL-13), Angie Craig (MN-02), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Jim Hagedorn (MN-01), Mike Bost (IL-12), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Jim Baird (IN-04), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Don Bacon (NE-02), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) are original cosponsors of the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act.

Additionally, Reps. Reps. Rodney Davis (IL-13), Angie Craig (MN-02), Cindy Axne (IA-03), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Jim Hagedorn (MN-01), Mike Bost (IL-12), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Jim Baird (IN-04), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Don Bacon (NE-02), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) are original cosponsors of the Adopt GREET Act.