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December 20, 2013 4 t	^..^ 

The Honorable Barack Obama 

President of the United States of America 

The White House 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20500 

Dear President Obama: 

As governors who support the public policy and economic benefits that flow from biofuels, we write 

today to express our strong opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule 

that would significantly reduce ethanol and biodiesel choices for consumers as enabled in the 

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The EPA proposal would have a negative impact on family incomes, 

the diversification of our energy portfolio, economic development in rural communities, and emissions 

reduction across our nation. 

The renewable fuels that are proudly used by consumers across the country, are produced with 

American-grown corn, soybeans, wood chips and other important biomass resources that are processed 

through biofuels facilities that employ thousands, all while injecting millions into agribusiness and 

local economies. More than 400,000 Americans depend on renewable fuels for good-paying jobs that 

support rewarding careers in our states. According to the Renewable Fuels Association and LMC 

International, 44,500 of these jobs could be lost due to the EPA proposed rule. This proposed rule 

would greatly hinder our states' efforts to foster policies that create jobs, grow family incomes, and 

revitalize our economies. 

If the EPA's currently proposed rule becomes final, the negative impact would be disproportionately 

felt by rural America. According to an Iowa State University estimate, corn prices alone could drop 

nineteen cents per bushel based on the proposed rule, which could bring corn prices below the cost of 

production for many farmers. The proposed EPA rule could also cause a ripple effect on agri-business, 

our communities, and the entire economy. 

We urge your Administration to use its regulatory authority in a manner that both supports a growing 

renewable fuels industry and meets the statutory requirements of the law. Specifically, we hope that 

you will encourage the EPA to increase the biodiesel volume to reflect current production levels, 

modify the cellulosic target to match production expectations, and reinstate the statutory conventional 

renewable fuel target since there is clearly no domestic supply shortage. The gradually increasing RFS
levels have been an important part of diversifying our nation's transportation fuels and reducing fuel 

costs at the pump. 

We appreciate your past support for renewable fuels and the commitments you have pledged. We hope 

you will protect the RFS, renew your commitment, and stand strong along with us, consumers, and 

agricultural producers in supporting American-made renewable fuels. 

Sincerely, 

o TerrY E. Branstad 

Iowa 

^^^'^	^ ^ : ^ . Governor Mark Daytor^ 

^ 

Minnesota

Governor Sam Brownback 

Kansas 

00.06W

Governor Dave Heineman 

Nebraska 

^`. 

.^^.

` overnor Jack Dalrympl Governor Dennis Dau d 

North Dakota South Dakota 

cc: Gina McCarthy, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency 

Tom Vilsack, Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture