Majority of voters support the RFS — industry poll 

Source: Amanda Peterka, E&E reporter • Posted: Tuesday, April 28, 2015

More than 60 percent of registered voters in the country support the renewable fuel standard, according to a new poll released today by the ethanol industry group Renewable Fuels Association.

The poll found that 62 percent of voters support the requirement that a certain amount of fuel produced each year in the country comes from ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable sources.

Morning Consult Polling conducted the poll of 2,047 registered voters for the Renewable Fuels Association from April 5 to 7. It has a 2-point margin of error.

A majority of both Democrats and Republicans said they supported the RFS, according to the poll. Democrats showed the greatest support, with 65 percent saying they were in favor of the RFS compared to 57 percent of Republicans.

The survey found that 18 percent of voters said they opposed the renewable fuel standard, while 20 percent said they had no opinion.

The poll comes as the renewable fuel standard — which Congress passed in 2007 to encourage greater use of ethanol and advanced biofuels — is under fire by critics in the oil industry and other sectors. Lawmakers from both parties have filed bills that would either reform or repeal the standard.

It also comes as U.S. EPA is poised to release a highly anticipated proposal setting long-delayed RFS mandates for 2014 and beyond as part of a settlement with oil industry groups (E&ENews PM, April 10).

“More than six in 10 Americans understand the economic, environmental and national security benefits of the RFS,” Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen said today. “Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency should take note of the high level of support for the program and allow the RFS to work at the levels Congress envisioned in 2007.”

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