COMMITTEES

Ways & Means

Agriculture
Environmental Protection
International Relations

Dan Kelley
STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Twenty-Ninth District
dan.kelley@legis.iowa.gov
www.electkelley.com

MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 333
Newton, Iowa 50208
Home: (641) 521-9260

House of Representatives
State of Iowa
Eighty-Fifth General Assembly

APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Administration & Regulation,
Ranking Member

STATEHOUSE

Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Dear Administrator McCarthy:

Thank you for your years of advocacy on behalf of environmental issues. Currently, I represent
House District 29 in the Iowa State House of Representatives and serve on the Environmental
Protection, Agriculture, and Ways and Means committees. In those positions, I am committed to
advancing policies that protect our environment and spur economic growth through innovation.
That is particularly true in the renewable energy sector. As you may know, Iowa is one of the top
biodiesel producing states in the country. Today, the industry supports more than 10,000 jobs,
$400 million in wages, and $3.4 billion in overall economic impact. Nationally, it supports
62,000 jobs and pays at least $628 million in federal, state, and local taxes.
However, your agency recently proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements
that would severely curtail production in the coming year and impact this important economic
engine. I am respectively asking that you reconsider this proposal. Under RFS, biodiesel
production has been an incredible success story. Not only has it demonstrated its ability to meet
the requirements, it has increased production to a record high of 1. 7 billion gallons and actually
exceeded the standard in recent years.
The biodiesel industry is critical for my district, the state of Iowa, and the United States as a
whole. Maintaining current RFS biodiesel requirements at 1.28 billion gallons, despite record
production of 1.7 billion gallons in 2013, will result in significant reductions in biodiesel
production next year. As you know, more than 30 member of the United State Senate, including
Senator Tom Harkin and Senator Charles Grassley, have already written to you asking that RFS
requirements for biodiesel are set at the current industry production level of 1. 7 billion gallons.
Please reconsider the 2014 RFS requirements for biodiesel and take action on this important
issue.
Sincerely,
Dan Kelley
Iowa State Representative, House District 29

CREW FOIA 2014-006851-0001055