Last week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler testified before the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, admitting that a biogenic CO2 rule for farm crops wouldn’t come for another 12-18 months. That is an unacceptable timeframe for rural Americans who are struggling during the COVID-19 crisis.

That’s why the Biogenic CO2 Coalition released this video calling on the EPA to stop treating emissions from annual crops the same as those from fossil fuels, and unleash the heartland’s potential.

For over a decade, this regulatory glitch has been hurting farmers and agribusinesses while severely limiting advancements in the bioeconomy. President Trump promised to eliminate unnecessary burdensome regulations, but the EPA has failed to take action and unleash billions of dollars in investments and job growth in rural America.

Wheeler’s testimony came more than a week after the Biogenic CO2 Coalition sent a letter asking Members of Congress to step in on expected biogenic CO2 rulemaking from the EPA, and days after 21 scientists sent a letter urging Administrator Wheeler and Assistant Administrator Anne Idsal to include farm crops in their upcoming rule.

We agree with the EPA’s decision to classify biogenic CO2 from woody biomass as carbon neutral, but strongly object to the exclusion of agricultural feedstocks from this upcoming rule. There is no scientific or practical reason for EPA to ignore the life cycle of these annual crops — and there’s bipartisan, scientific consensus.

Share this video on Facebook and Twitter to call for action from the EPA that will benefit rural America and our country’s bioeconomy.