WILMINGTON, Del. – Stakeholders in advanced and traditional renewable fuel industries joined to form Fuels America in response to a request to waive the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The group includes stakeholders in domestically grown renewable fuel, alongside national security, clean energy, environmental and other stakeholders.

Trade groups representing an array of industries, including meat and poultry, petitioned the EPA to consider a whole or partial waiver of the required amount of renewable, corn-based fuel that would be mandated by the RFS for 2012, and extending it for 12 months after the initial waiver.

“Through Fuels America, we want to show the diversity of benefits the RFS creates, from innovation to implementation – and the breadth of what is at stake if there are changes to the RFS,” said Jan Koninckx, Global Business Director, DuPont Biofuels which is a coalition member. “We recognize that, this year, the drought has caused real economic hardship to both livestock and ethanol industries, and we are working with our customers in those sectors to manage through it, but we need to stay the course on renewable fuels and the RFS — the most successful renewable transportation fuel policy the US has ever had.

The United States is leading in renewable fuels innovation now," Koninckx added. "The stakes are too high to reverse course on this visionary policy.”

Fuels America plans to take its campaign nationally, starting in Washington, DC and several states, including Colorado, Ohio, Delaware and Montana. Each state will have its own online platform reachable through FuelsAmerica.org and will feature profiles of renewable fuel innovators and communities with a stake in maintaining the RFS.

“In joining Fuels America, NCGA (National Corn Growers Association) joins a broad spectrum of renewable fuel stakeholders to increase the effectiveness of our efforts in the defense of ethanol and other biofuels,” said Garry Niemeyer, NCGA president and farmer from Auburn, Ill.

In addition to NCGA, Fuels America members include 25x25, Abengoa Bioenergy , ACORE, Advanced Ethanol Council, American Coalition for Ethanol, American Security Project, Biotechnology Industry Organization, DuPont, Growth Energy, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Sorghum Producers, Novozymes, POET and the Renewable Fuels Association.