Senate Resolution 101 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 101 BY RAGAN , ANDERSON , BEALL , BEHN , BERTRAND , BLACK , BOETTGER , BOLKCOM , BOWMAN , BRASE , BREITBACH , CHAPMAN , CHELGREN , COURTNEY , DANIELSON , DEARDEN , DIX , DOTZLER , DVORSKY , ERNST , FEENSTRA , GARRETT , GREINER , GRONSTAL , GUTH , HART , HATCH , HOGG , HORN , HOUSER , JOCHUM , JOHNSON , KAPUCIAN , MATHIS , McCOY , PETERSEN , QUIRMBACH , ROZENBOOM , SCHNEIDER , SCHOENJAHN , SEGEBART , SENG , SINCLAIR , SMITH , SODDERS , TAYLOR , WHITVER , WILHELM , ZAUN , and ZUMBACH A Resolution urging the United States government to 1 renew its commitment to farmers, lower fuel prices, 2 and the environment by supporting a robust and 3 sustainable renewable fuel standard. 4 WHEREAS, in accordance with the federal policy 5 including the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 6 109-58, the United States government has demonstrated 7 its commitment to the long-term policy of increasing 8 the production of clean renewable fuels according 9 to a renewable fuel standard (RFS), by enabling the 10 increased domestic production and use of renewable 11 fuels, which include renewable biofuels such as 12 ethanol, biodiesel, and cellulosic and advanced 13 biofuels; and 14 WHEREAS, the RFS provides the foundation for 15 reducing this nation’s dependence on foreign sources 16 of oil, reducing the price of transportation fuels, 17 reducing transportation fuel emissions, increasing 18 rural incomes, encouraging the development and 19 -1- LSB 5619SS (2) 85 da/rj 1/ 3

S.R. 101 expansion of new advanced biofuels, and consequently 1 promoting economic growth; and 2 WHEREAS, the RFS assists in bringing new 3 technologies to farmers and consumers, and points the 4 country in the direction of energy independence; and 5 WHEREAS, international turmoil has repeatedly caused 6 increased oil spikes and increased transportation costs 7 for consumers, including increased costs attributable 8 to the transportation of food and other goods; and 9 WHEREAS, biofuels reduce greenhouse gas 10 emissions; and 11 WHEREAS, Iowa’s biofuels industry has added over $8 12 billion to Iowa’s economy and generated $2 billion in 13 new household income; and 14 WHEREAS, approximately 90,000 Iowa farmers support 15 their families and reinvigorate rural communities 16 through innovative and high-tech agricultural 17 production; and 18 WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection 19 Agency (EPA) is responsible for establishing and 20 implementing the RFS, including the requirement that 21 certain volumes of various types of biofuels be blended 22 in transportation fuels each year; and 23 WHEREAS, the EPA recently proposed reducing the 24 volume levels of ethanol and biodiesel in the RFS, in 25 direct conflict with the statute; and 26 WHEREAS, the EPA’s proposal is estimated to cause 27 the loss of 37,400 ethanol-related jobs and the loss of 28 7,500 biodiesel-related jobs; and 29 WHEREAS, the EPA’s proposal will cause a reduction 30 -2- LSB 5619SS (2) 85 da/rj 2/ 3

S.R. 101 in the price of corn below the cost of production with 1 a negative economic impact on midwest farm families, 2 agribusinesses, and rural communities; and 3 WHEREAS, the EPA’s proposal will cause a substantial 4 reduction in the long-term investment in biofuels 5 infrastructure and a reduction in investments in 6 further energy innovation for ethanol, biodiesel, 7 advanced biofuels, and cellulosic biofuels; NOW 8 THEREFORE, 9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the United States 10 government is urged to renew its commitment to farmers, 11 lower fuel prices, and the environment by supporting a 12 robust and sustainable RFS and use all efforts to meet 13 the highest possible renewable fuel volume requirements 14 set forth in the current RFS in order to ensure that 15 this nation diversifies its energy portfolio; and 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this 17 resolution be delivered to the Honorable Barack Obama, 18 President of the United States, to the Honorable 19 Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the United States 20 Environmental Protection Agency, to the Honorable Tom 21 Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, 22 and to each member of Iowa’s congressional delegation. 23 -3- LSB 5619SS (2) 85 da/rj 3/ 3