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Payne, Jr. Applauds EPA for Increasing Renewable Fuel Requirements

November 28, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) increased the amount of renewable fuel that must be added to the nation’s gasoline supply:

“I applaud the EPA for strengthening the Renewable Fuel Standard by raising renewable fuel requirements. This action will greatly assist the goal of healthier cities and a healthier America. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s energy policies, I will continue to do everything I can to improve air quality and protect the health and wellness of my constituents.”

In its final rule to set the 2017 requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)—the policy that sets annual volume requirements for renewable fuels in the nation’s fuel supply—the EPA increased total renewable fuel volume requirements by 1.2 billion gallons from 2016 to 2017. The EPA’s decision follows a letter sent by Congressman Payne, Jr. urging the department to strengthen the RFS by increasing the Renewable Volume Obligation for 2017. In that letter, Congressman Payne, Jr. argued that increasing the blending of renewable fuels in gasoline would protect against the adverse health effects of poor air quality, including childhood asthma and emphysema.

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