Reviving Energy Affordability
As American families make travel plans and assess energy costs for their farms and businesses during the summer, it is as important as ever to champion domestic production of affordable fuels. While gasoline prices in Nebraska are down 5.6 percent from this time a year ago, and diesel prices are down 5.8 percent, tensions around the world put supply chains and energy security at risk. In light of this, policies which embrace the capacity of American biofuels producers to meet demand, such as year-round availability of ethanol blends of 15 percent (E15), are crucial for an all-of-the-above, winning strategy for American energy affordability.
According to Growth Energy analysis, E15 has the potential to save American drivers $20.6 billion in annual fuel costs and generate $66.3 billion for U.S. gross domestic product. My bill with Senator Deb Fischer, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, would end the unnecessary cycle of dependance on summertime waivers from the EPA and permanently allow year-round, nationwide sale of E15. Our legislation does not have the effect of a mandate. It simply removes existing unscientific restrictions on E15 sales.
I am grateful last week the Trump administration rightfully recognized the key role biofuels play in American energy security when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2026 and 2027. In May, I wrote to President Trump with 25 colleagues calling for timely and robust renewable volume obligation (RVO) requirements, and I look forward to working with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the president to ensure these proposed RVO levels have the intended effect of promoting American energy production. If finalized, these RFS volumes will support our agriculture producers, provide much needed certainty to the industry, and ensure consumers have greater access to affordable liquid fuels.
Remarkably, the overall economic impact of the ethanol industry for our state is $8.18 billion—more than 50 times the total impact of the 2024 College World Series, which itself is wonderful for our economy. Because of the importance of biofuels to Nebraska’s economy and energy abundance, I supported inclusion of a provision in the House-passed reconciliation package to extend and improve the 45Z biofuels production tax credit through 2031. This measure directly supports farmers in the Third District and equips producers with the certainty to invest and power the future of sustainable aviation fuel and other clean transportation fuel.
In addition, last week the Trump administration took action to halt production at the EPA’s red tape factory and restore energy abundance. Under Administrator Zeldin, the EPA has proposed a rule to eliminate the previous administration’s “Clean Power Plan 2.0,” which threatened to undermine grid reliability and inflate costs for Nebraskans, who get about half our state's electricity from coal. Also, President Trump signed into law a resolution I supported which rescinded an EPA waiver granted under President Biden. The waiver permitted the State of California’s electric vehicle mandate which functionally banned the sale of vehicles powered by internal combustion. These Biden-era rules were unworkable, out of touch, and a step backward for American energy.
As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Biofuels Caucus, I am committed to maximizing accessibility of renewable fuels and flexibility for American producers, consumers, and retailers. It is vital we advance policies which increase flexibility for the market to meet demand while opening the door to American energy affordability.
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