Senators push EPA for answers on UCO imports

Sen. Ernst

U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, led their colleagues Dec. 12 in demanding answers from U.S. EPA on the oversight of used cooking oil (UCO) imports, which is necessary for protecting the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard and the price of homegrown commodities like soybeans.

Since sending a letter to the agency in June in response to the dramatic increase in UCO imports driving down demand for America crops, Ernst has yet to receive a response from EPA or any evidence it is regulating UCO entering the United States.

The agency has instead shifted responsibility to federal partners like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which recently responded to Ernst’s initial letter and made it clear CBP is not verifying imported UCO as a 100 percent pure, authentic product that would qualify for the RFS.

“The dramatic increase of UCO imports demands attention and decisive quality-assurance measures, especially if it threatens to undermine the livelihoods of hardworking American farmers,” Ernst said. “We must ensure the EPA is properly enforcing policies under the Renewable Fuel Standard, which will both protect the biofuel market and our homegrown commodities.”

The complete Dec. 12 letter can be accessed here.

Since the U.S. has gone from importing less than 200 million pounds of UCO per year in 2020 to importing over 3 billion pounds in 2023, Ernst has been working to address concerns about the lack of regulation of UCO imports and its threat to American crops.

Throughout her time in Congress, Ernst has also been a strong advocate for homegrown Iowa biofuels, including by calling on the Biden White House to: 

• Make E15 available year-round and country-wide.

• Adhere to the GREET model to provide domestic producers with a seat at the table.

• Amend its harmful decision to set the renewable volume obligation (RVO) levels well below industry production capacity.

• Raise RFS volumes for biobased diesel and advanced biofuels.

• Issue timely guidance on the 45Z clean fuel production credit.