As the country deals with record-high gas prices, Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley are calling for increased biofuels support.
In a joint press conference on Wednesday, Ernst and Grassley said they are cosponsoring the Homefront Energy Independence Act. Senator Ernst says the legislation would institute a permanent ban on Russian oil imports, replacing it with increased biofuels production.
“Our new legislation combines parts of several past bills that we’ve worked on together that would make E-15 available year-round,” said Ernst, “establish an E-15 and biodiesel tax credit, direct the EPA to finalize their E-15 labeling rule, and provide for biofuel infrastructure and compatibility with retailers.”
Senator Grassley says year-round E15 sales would help lower gas prices in the U.S.
“When traveling around Iowa,” said Grassley, “you see at any gas station E-15 being sold for 30-to-40 cents cheaper. So, E-15 is cheaper than E-10. That’s a product that can be used for almost any car since 2003, I believe. And, ethanol has been selling at around a dollar-20 discount to gasoline.”
The bill is received bipartisan support. Ernst says their legislation is similar to a bill proposed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds setting renewable fuel standards in Iowa.
“Governor Reynolds would love to see more E-15 consumed in the state of Iowa,” she said. “We would love to see that nationally. I think the legislation goes hand-in-hand with what is attempting to achieve, as well. Again, it’s a clean burning source of energy, and I think that we would move ahead with this as quickly as possible.”
As of Thursday, the national average of gas prices in the U.S. hit $4.32 per gallon, according to AAA.
