WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski joined Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Wesley Hunt (TX-13) and Eric Sorensen (IL-17) to introduce the Fuels Parity Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow ethanol from corn starch to qualify as an advanced biofuel. The bill would also require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use the Argonne GREET model to determine the greenhouse gas emission profile of biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The full text of the bill can be found here. 

“Technological innovation is making corn ethanol even cleaner, and the Renewable Fuel Standard should be updated to recognize these advances,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “I’m proud to help introduce bipartisan legislation ensuring that all of our low emission biofuels receive the same treatment from the Environmental Protection Agency – and that family farmers, consumers and our environment reap the full benefits of increased blending.”

Corn is currently prohibited from qualifying as an advanced biofuel, even if it can meet the required scientific thresholds, by a provision in the 2007 RFS expansion known as the “corn discrimination clause.” No other feedstock is limited – only corn starch used for ethanol. 

Allowing corn to qualify as an advanced biofuel would incentivize lower emissions from ethanol production and allow corn to access another bucket of the RFS. If ethanol can meet the scientific thresholds, then it should be allowed to qualify as an advanced biofuel and generate an advanced biofuel renewable identification number.

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