Gov. Pillen Joins Republican Governors Advocating for Increase in Renewable Volume Obligation for Biofuels

LINCOLN, NE -- Governor Jim Pillen has joined other Republican governors asking the U.S. EPA to bump up the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO), to help meet the nation’s energy goals and promote growth in the agriculture and biofuels industries.

“Because of renewable fuels policy, we now have 24 ethanol plants. We have the infrastructure that allows Nebraska to be the epicenter of the new bioeconomy. Increasing RVO levels will benefit our state’s biofuels producers and is key to rural economic revitalization.”

The joint letter, addressed to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, says in part:

“Over the past several years, the biofuels industry has made significant investments to expand domestic production capacity and strengthen feedstock supply. Unfortunately, the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) levels set by the previous Administration failed to reflect this growth. As a result, an increasing number of biofuel producers, including ethanol and biodiesel facilities, have been forced to slow or cease operations, costing rural communities jobs and weakening key markets for American farmers.”

The Governors are asking the EPA to establish a 2016 RVO of no less than 15 billion gallons for conventional ethanol and 5.25 billion gallons for biomass-based diesel.

Including Gov. Pillen, other governors who signed the letter include: Gov. Kim Reynolds (IA), Gov. Gov. Mike Kehoe (MO), and Gov. Larry Rhoden (SD).