JAY INSLEE Governor

STATE OF WASHINGTON Office of the Governor

The Honorable Gina McCarthy Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20460 The Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell Director, White House Office of Manaement and Budget
725 l7tStreetNW Washington, DC 20503
Dear Administrator McCarthy and Director Burwell:
I write to strongly encourage the Administration to adopt a 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard 2 (RFS2) rule that will continue to promote investment and growth in American and Washington State advanced biofuels industries and that will further support important state and federal clean energy development and carbon-reduction goals.
The RFS is a landmark federal program that has played an invaluable role in diversifying U.S. vehicle fuel markets and increasing the competitive viability of cleaner and more sustainable energy resources. But these exciting and innovative developments, which offer the promise of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in key sectors like transportation and strengthening American energy security, will only be realized if federal policy continues to support them.
For instance, the domestic biodiesel industry has experienced impressive growth under the RFS. Far from just meeting expectations, the industry now supports more than 60,000 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact nationwide - and includes a number of innovative Washington State companies. However, setting reduced or stagnant RFS2 2014 fuel requirement levels would serve to dis-incentivize investment in this and other advanced biofuels industries, like renewable natural gas (RNG) and cellulosic and algae-based fuels, and would slow or perhaps reverse the development of cleaner alternative fuels that are helping the United States reduce its GHG emission and increase its fuel and energy-resource diversity. Inadequate fuel requirement levels would pull important policy supports out from under these blossoming industries, would likely lead to reduced investment and financing, and could result in plant closures, worker layoffs, and other negative economic impacts. An inadequate 2014 RFS2 rule would adversely affect businesses in my state.
Furthermore, reduced or stagnant RFS2 fuel requirement levels would also impair state policy actions - such as the recent agreement entered into by the Pacific Coast Collaborative states ofWashington, California, and Oregon, arid British Columbia - to further promote alternative, lowcarbon fuels and economic growth in their jurisdictions.

P.O. Box 40002 OIympa, Washington 9O5040002 (360) 902-4111 • www.governor.wa,govThe Honorable Gina McCarthy

The Honorable Sylvia Mathews l3urwell November 14, 2013 Page 2
Therefore, I urge you to continue to support these fragile and growing industries with a 2014 RFS2 rule that includes, or does not vary far from, the existing 3.75billion gallon level for advanced biofuels and the 1.7 billion gallon requirement for biodiesel.
I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to working with your agencies and others in the Obama Administration to advance federal and state policies that will promote greater economic prosperity and energy security, as well as address the dangerous threat of climate change.

The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture The Honorable Howard Shelanski, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs