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Wa5fjington, MC 20515

October 30, 2013 

The Honorable Gina McCarthy 

Administrator 

U.S. Environrnental Protection Agency 

Room 300, Ariel Rios Building 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20460 

Dear Adrninistrator McCarthy: 

Nearly eight years ago, Congress approved the Energy Policy Act of 2005, establishing 

the first Renewable Fuel Standard ("RFS"). In 2007, Congress significantly expanded the 2005 

law when it passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which increased the 

mandate to 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. Unfortunately, despite the best intentions of 

the RFS, its premise and structure were based on many assumptions that no longer reflect the 

current market conditions, and the imposition of the 2014 volumes now threatens to cause 

economic and environmental harm. As Congress continues its bi-partisan work to address these 

concerns, we are writing to request that the EPA use its authority to adjust the 2014 RFS 

volumes. 

As you are aware, the U.S. corn market has been increasingly volatile since the expansion 

of the RFS in 2007. This reflects the reality that more than 40 percent of the corn crop now goes 

into ethanol production, a dramatic rise since the first ethanol mandates were put into place in 

2005. While well intentioned, the rigid nature of the federal law has not allowed it to change as 

new realities emerge in the market place. Ethanol now consumes more corn than animal 

agrieulture, a fact directly attributable to the federal mandate. Corn prices are just one example 

of the economic harm caused by the RFS. 

Due to the dramatic expansion of corn ethanol, volatile corn prices have led to the 

conversion of millions of acres of sensitive wetlands and grasslands into production. According 

to the EPA's analysis, the lifecycle ernissions of corn ethanol in 2012 were higher than those of 

gasoline -- and will be for years to come. Despite promised environmental benefits when the 

RFS was implemented, the National Academy of Sciences has noted that overall ethanol 

production and use lowers air and water quality. 

PRfN7EC1 C7N FiECYf„'LEb PAPER
Member of Congress 

Perhaps the newest challenge is the imposition of the statutory requirement of 18.15 

billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2014, of which approximately 14.4 billion gallons will be 

made up by corn ethanol. In particular, the combination of rising ethanol mandates and 

declining gasoline demand has exacerbated the onset of the E10 blendwall- the point at which 

the gasoline supply is saturated with the maximum amount of ethanol that current vehicles, 

engines, and infrastructure can safely accommodate. The EPA explicitly acknowledged this 

challenge in its final rule implementing the 2013 volumes---"EPA does not currently foresee a 

scenario in which the market could consume enough ethanol sold in blends greater than E10, 

and/or produce sufficient volumes of non-ethanol biofuels to meet the volumes of total 

renewable fuel and advanced biofuel as required by statute for 2014." l We understand that the 

EPA signaled its intention to address these concerns in the 2014 rulemaking and commend the 

EPA's willingness to use the authority Congress granted to it when crafting the RFS. 

While the blendwall is a pressing issue, the federal government can help avoid a 

dangerous economic situation by adjusting the normally rigid Renewable Fuel Standard mandate 

down to align with gasoline market conditions and realities. We therefore urge the EPA to 

consider a fair and meaningful nationwide adjustment to the ethanol mandate in the Renewable 

Puel Standard. Prompt action by the EPA can help to ease short supply concerns, prevent engine 

damage, save jobs across many U.S. industries, and keep farnilies fed. We strongly urge you to 

exercise your authority and take the necessary steps to protect American consumers and the 

economy. Thank you for your immediate consideration of this request. 

Sincerely,

Bob Goodlatte 

Member of Congress

.^ 

; 

Steve Womack eter elch 

Member of Congress Member of Congress 

' Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards, 78 Fed. Reg. 49,794, 49,823 (Aug. 15, 

2013) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 80).
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Mims, Kathy 

From: Mackay, Cheryl 

Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 11:33 AM 

To: Mims, Kathy; Eades, Cassaundra 

Subject: FW: RFS Letter 

Attachments: RFSLetterToAdminMcCarthy.pdf 

Please save in CMS and control to OAR/OTAQ. Here is the !ist of signatories to the (etter. Thanks! 

Aderholt, Robert B. (R-AL, 4th) 

Amodei, Mark (R-NV, 2nd) 

Andrews, Robert E. (D-NJ, 1st) 

Barletta, Lou (R-PA, 11th) 

Barrow, John (D-GA, 12th) 

Benishek, Dan (R-MI, 1st) 

Bentivolio, Kerry (R-MI, 11th) 

Bilirakis, Gus (R-FL, 12th) 

B!ack, Diane (R-TN, 6th) 

Blackburn, Marsha W. (R-TN, 7th) 

Boustany, Charles W. (R-LA, 3rd) 

Brady, Kevin (R-TX, 8th) 

Bridenstine, Jim (R-OK, 1st) 

Brooks, Mo (R-AL, 5th) 

Broun, Paul (R-GA, 10th) 

Burgess, Michae) C. (R-TX, 26th) 

Butterfield, G. K. (D-NC, 1st) 

Ca!vert, Ken (R-CA, 42nd) 

Campbel!, lohn (R-CA, 45th) 

Capito, She!ley Moore (R-WV, 2nd) 

Carter, John R. (R-TX, 31st) 

Chabot, Steve (R-OH, 1st) 

Chaffetz, Jason (R-UT, 3rd) 

Coble, Howard (R-NC, 6th) 

Co!e, Tom (R-OK, 4th) 

Co!lins, Chris (R-NY, 27th) 

Col!ins, Doug (R-GA, 9th) 

Conaway, Mike (R-TX, 11th) 

Connolly, Gerry (D-VA, 11th) 

Cook, Paul J. (R-CA, 8th) 

Costa, Jim (D-CA, 16th) 

Cotton, Tom (R-AR, 4th) 

Crawford, Rick (R-AR, 1st) 

Cuel!ar, Henry (D-TX, 28th) 

Culberson, lohn (R-TX, 7th) 

Daines, Steve (R-MT, At Large) 

DeFazio, Peter A. (D-OR, 4th) 

Denham, Jeff (R-CA, 10th) 

Dent, Charles (R-PA, 15th) 

DeSantis, Ron (R-FL, 6th) 

DesJarlais, Scott (R-TN, 4th) 

Diaz-Ba!art, Mario (R-FL, 25th)
Duncan,leff (R-SC, 3rd) 

Duncan, John J. Jr. (R-TN, 2nd) 

Ellmers, Renee (R-NC, 2nd) 

Farenthold, Blake (R-TX, 27th) 

Fincher, Stephen (R-TN, 8th) 

Fleischmann, Chuck (R-TN, 3rd) 

Fleming, John (R-LA, 4th) 

Flores, Bill (R-TX, 17th) 

Foxx, Virginia (R-NC, 5th) 

Franks, Trent (R-AZ, 8th) 

Frelinghuysen, Rodney (R-NJ, 11th) 

Gallego, Pete (D-TX, 23rd) 

Garamendi, John (D-CA, 3rd) 

Garrett, Scott (R-NJ, 5th) 

Gerlach, Jim (R-PA, 6th) 

Gibson, Chris (R-NY, 19th) 

Gingrey, Phil (R-GA, 11th) 

Gohmert, Louie (R-TX, 1st) 

Goodlatte, Bob (R-VA, 6th) 

Gosar, Paul (R-AZ, 4th) 

Granger, Kay (R-TX, 12th) 

Graves, Tom (R-GA, 14th) 

Green, Gene (D-TX, 29th) 

Griffin, Tim (R-AR, 2nd) 

Griffith, Morgan (R-VA, 9th) 

Hall, Ralph M. (R-TX, 4th) 

Hanna, Richard L. (R-NY, 22nd) 

Harper, Gregg (R-MS, 3rd) 

Harris, Andy (R-MD, 1st) 

Heck, Joe (R-NV, 3rd) 

Hensarling, Jeb (R-TX, 5th) 

Himes, Jim (D-CT, 4th) 

Hinojosa, Ruben (D-TX, 15th) 

Holding, George E. (R-NC, 13th) 

Hultgren, Randy (R-IL, 14th) 

Hunter, Duncan D. (R-CA, 50th) 

Hurt, Robert (R-VA, 5th) 

Issa, Darrell (R-CA, 49th) 

Johnson, Sam (R-TX, 3rd) 

Jones, Walter B. (R-NC, 3rd) 

Kelly, Mike (R-PA, 3rd) 

Kingston, Jack (R-GA, 1st) 

Kuster, Ann McLane (D-NH, 2nd) 

Labrador, Raul (R-ID, lst) 

LaMalfa, Doug (R-CA, 1st) 

Lamborn, Doug (R-CO, 5th) 

Lance, Leonard (R-NJ, 7th) 

Lankford, James (R-OK, 5th) 

LoBiondo, Frank A. (R-NJ, 2nd) 

Long, Billy (R-MO, 7th) 

Lujan, Ben R. (D-NM, 3rd) 

Lummis, Cynthia M. (R-WY, At Large)
Marchant, Kenny E. (R-TX, 24th) 

Marino, Tom (R-PA, 10th) 

Matheson, Jim (D-UT, 4th) 

McCarthy, Kevin (R-CA, 23rd) 

McCaul, Michael (R-TX, 10th) 

McClintock, Tom (R-CA, 4th) 

McHenry, Patrick (R-NC, 10th) 

McKinley, David B. (R-WV, 1st) 

McMorris Rodgers, Cathy (R-WA, 5th) 

Meadows, Mark (R-NC, 11th) 

Meehan, Pat (R-PA, 7th) 

Michaud, Mike (D-ME, 2nd) 

Miller, Jeff (R-FL, 1st) 

Moran, Jim (D-VA, 8th) 

Mullin, Markwayne (R-OK, 2nd) 

Mulvaney, Mick (R-SC, 5th) 

Neugebauer, Randy (R-TX, 19th) 

Nugent, Richard (R-FL, 11th) 

Nunes, Devin (R-CA, 22nd) 

Nunnelee, Alan (R-MS, 1st) 

Olson, Pete (R-TX, 22nd) 

Owens, Bil) (D-NY, 21st) 

Palazzo, Steven (R-MS, 4th) 

Pearce, Steve (R-NM, 2nd) 

Perry, Scott (R-PA, 4th) 

Pingree, Chellie M. (D-ME, 1st) 

Pittenger, Robert (R-NC, 9th) 

Pitts, Joe (R-PA, 16th) 

Poe, Ted (R-TX, 2nd) 

Posey, Bill (R-FL, 8th) 

Price, Tom (R-GA, 6th) 

Radel, Trey (R-FL, 19th) 

Reed, Tom (R-NY, 23rd) 

Rice, Tom (R-SC, 7th) 

Richmond, Cedric L. (D-LA, 2nd) 

Rigell, Scott (R-VA, 2r7d) 

Roe, Phil (R-TN, 1st) 

Rogers, Mike (R-MI, 8th) 

Rohrabacher, Dana (R-CA, 48th) 

Rooney, Tom (R-FL, 17th) 

Ross, Dennis A. (R-FL, 15th) 

Rothfus, Keith J. (R-PA, 12th) 

Sanchez, Loretta (D-CA, 46th) 

Schrader, Kurt (D-OR, 5th) 

Schweikert, David (R-AZ, 6th) 

Scott, Austin (R-GA, 8th) 

Scott, Bobby (D-VA, 3rd) 

Scott, David (D-GA, 13th) 

Sensenbrenner, Jim Jr. (R-WI, 5th) 

Sessions, Pete (R-TX, 32nd) 

Shuster, Bill (R-PA, 9th) 

Simpson, Mike (R-ID, 2nd)
Smith, Lamar S. (R-TX, 21st) 

Stewart, Chris (R-UT, 2nd) 

Thompson, Bennie G. (D-MS, 2nd) 

Thompson, Glenn W. (R-PA, 5th) 

Thornberry, Mac (R-TX, 13th) 

Valadao, David G. (R-CA, 21st) 

Veasey, Marc (D-TX, 33rd) 

Vela, Filemon (D-TX, 34th) 

Walberg, Tim (R-MI, 7th) 

Walden, Greg (R-OR, 2nd) 

Weber, Randy (R-TX, 14th) 

Webster, Daniel A. (R-FL, 10th) 

Welch, Peter (D-VT, At Large) 

Westmoreland, Lynn A. (R-GA, 3rd) 

Williams, Roger (R-TX, 25th) 

Wilson, Joe (R-SC, 2nd) 

Wittman, Rob (R-VA, 1st) 

Wolf, Frank R. (R-VA, 10th) 

Womack, Steve (R-AR, 3rd) 

Woodall, Rob (R-GA, 7th) 

Yoho, Ted (R-FL, 3rd) 

Young, Don (R-AK, At Large) 

From: Vaught, Laura 

Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 10:11 AM 

To: Mackay, Cheryl 

Cc: Lewis, Josh; Distefano, Nichole 

Subject: Fw: RFS Letter 

Can you get this into system? Thanks! Sending separately a handy list she sent of signatories. 

From: Meadows, Carrie <Carrie.Meadows@mail.house.gov >

Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 9:53:26 AM 

To: Vaught, Laura 

Subject: RFS Letter 

Hi Laura, 

I hope you are well! We faxed this, but I wanted to send to you too so you had a copy. Please let me know if you 

have any questions. 

Carrie 

Carrie IVlpaciow--: 

Legislatix;:; D:: 

Offico of Co:-,;: pr-ssrman L3ob C3oodlatte 

(202) 225-543 1 Phone 

(202) 225-9031 Fax

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