Miller-Meeks Joins Iowa Delegation in Urging EPA to Ramp Up Biofuel Productions to Ensure American Energy Independence
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, March 8th, 2022, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) joined Reps. Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Cindy Axne (IA-03), as well as Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), in a letter urging Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to prioritize American energy independence by promoting and incorporating Iowa-made ethanol and biofuels in an American energy strategy that significantly reduces reliance on foreign oil and gas imports.
“The United States imports hundreds of thousands of barrels of Russian oil every day, a slap in the face to workers and businesses across our country. Sanctioning Russia’s energy sector will cripple their economy and might be what it takes to end Russia’s illegal invasion of a sovereign nation,” said Miller-Meeks. “In 2020, then-candidate Biden made a promise to support Iowa’s biofuels producers. He should start living up to that promise today by canceling Russian imports and increasing domestic energy production.”
To read the full letter, click HERE.
Background:
In the letter the lawmakers point out that Russia is the third-largest petroleum producer in the world, producing an average of 10.5 million barrels per day in 2020. Oil, natural gas, and other liquid fuels are what powers the Russian economy, and sanctioning Russian imports would likely devastate an already weakened Russia.
The lawmakers note that ethanol is a domestically produced renewable fuel source that would strengthen our national security and help achieve the Administration’s climate goals. Increasing domestic energy protection through policies that prioritize the increased use of America’s ethanol and other biofuels will secure a reliable and stable source of energy for future generations.
Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Miller-Meeks has called on President Biden to cancel all imports of Russian oil and ban future imports.
On January 25th, Miller-Meeks cosponsored H.R. 2046, the Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe (ESCAPE) Act. This legislation would advance American energy exports to the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and reduce their reliance on Russian energy. Additionally, it mandates sanctions on Russian pipelines, including Nord Stream 2, which were signed into law in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, but have not been enforced by the Biden Administration.
On March 2nd, Miller-Meeks cosponsored the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, which would require President Biden to make an energy security plan within 30 days and take action to support America’s oil and natural gas production to offset Russian imports. This bill would also immediately approve the Keystone XL pipeline, unleash U.S. liquid natural gas (LNG) exports to boost natural gas production, restart oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, and protect energy and mineral development from attacks by the Biden Administration.
On March 8th, Miller-Meeks cosponsored the bipartisan Ban Russian Energy Imports Act, which would ban the United States from importing Russian crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, LNG, and coal.
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