Expressing support for the designation of May 2024 as Renewable Fuels Month to recognize the important role that renewable fuels play in reducing carbon impacts, lowering fuel prices for consumers, supporting rural communities, and lessening reliance on foreign adversaries.

Expressing support for the designation of May 2024 as Renewable Fuels Month Whereas the United States is the largest producer of biofuels in the world, which contributes to the domestic economy, creates jobs, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions; Whereas ethanol is a renewable fuel made of biomass from plant materials; Whereas, in 2023, more than 72,463 jobs in the United States were directly associated with the ethanol industry, with an additional 322,000 indirect and induced jobs supported across all sectors of the economy; Whereas the ethanol industry created $32,500,000,000 in household income and contributed more than $54,200,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the United States; Whereas ethanol and feed co-product production provide a valuable market for United States corn, as a typical dry mill ethanol plant adds nearly $2 of additional value to every bushel of corn processed; Whereas ethanol use reduces greenhouse gas emissions by between 44 and 52 percent compared to gasoline, and, by displacing hydrocarbon substances like aromatics in gasoline, ethanol also helps reduce emissions of air toxins, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and exhaust hydrocarbons; Whereas, in 2023, ethanol played a vital role in bolstering the energy independence of the United States by supplementing nearly 525,000,000 barrels of crude oil; Whereas 13 Whereas biodiesel is a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel that is produced from renewable resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, distillers corn oil, canola oil, and animal fats; Whereas renewable diesel is an advanced biofuel, made from the same feedstocks as biodiesel, that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, while meeting the same standard specification for diesel fuels as petroleum-based diesel; Whereas producing a total of 6,000,000,000 gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel would support 187,000 full-time equivalent jobs, with more than $8,800,000,000 in wages and $61,600,000,000 in total economic impact; Whereas biodiesel and renewable diesel can be used in existing diesel engines without modification and are available throughout the United States; Whereas advanced biofuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum-based diesel; Whereas biodiesel emits up to 80 percent less particulate matter than petroleum-based diesel, improving air quality and health outcomes; Whereas the production of biodiesel and renewable diesel adds to the total domestic fuel supply, reducing the price of all diesel fuel at the pump; Whereas, without the renewable fuel standard helping to drive production of biodiesel and renewable diesel, the value of soybeans grown by farmers in the United States would decrease by 8 percent; Whereas sustainable aviation fuel is made from renewable biomass and waste resources and can deliver the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel; and Whereas sustainable aviation fuel can be blended with conventional jet fuel and the use of sustainable or blended aviation fuel requires no infrastructure or equipment changes: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate (1) supports the designation of May 2024 as Renewable Fuels Month (2) recognizes (A) the important role renewable fuels play in reducing the carbon impact of the United States; (B) the ability of renewable fuels to lower fuel prices for consumers; (C) the support to rural communities that renewable fuel industries provide; and (D) the opportunity that the production of renewable fuels provides to lessen the reliance of the United States on foreign adversaries.

Summary: This resolution supports the designation of May 2024 as Renewable Fuels Month. It also recognizes the role renewable fuels play in reducing carbon impacts, lowering fuel prices, supporting rural communities, and lessening the reliance of the United States on foreign adversaries.