Biodiesel leaders are visiting with lawmakers and Administration officials in the nation’s capital this week. They are asking Congress to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive and urging the Obama Administration to quickly finalize the EPA’s proposal to grow biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard next year. National Biodiesel Board Vice President of Federal Affairs Anne Steckel says the delay on these issues has effectively halted the momentum built last year when the biodiesel industry produced a record of nearly 1.1-billion gallons. She adds that the failure to act is locking up millions of dollars in investments that could be creating jobs and driving economic growth.

Steckel says the EPA’s proposal to increase the biodiesel volume requirement under the RFS to 1.28-billion gallons in 2013 has the support of USDA but has been delayed for nearly a year without explanation or justification. She says the Administration can follow through with its all of the above energy rhetoric by finalizing the proposal – and notes they can do it tomorrow without waiting on Congress. Steckel says the biodiesel tax incentive has broad bipartisan support – but Congress allowed it to expire on December 31st. While admitting there is no magic bullet for fighting high gas prices – Steckel says we can chip away at the problem by diversifying our supplies through strong, proven domestic energy policies like these.