American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President & CEO Chet Thompson issued the following statement along with a letter urging support for three bills being marked up today by the House Energy & Commerce Committee:
“Just as we were proud to testify in support of these bills last month, AFPM is proud to support the legislation being marked up today. “The pathway to affordable, sustainable transportation and even greater energy security is through innovation and competition among vehicle technologies and fuel types. Banning internal combustion engine vehicles is bad for consumers, families and our national security. Such policies would trade our hard-earned energy security for dependence on China.
“As members review these bills carefully, appreciating exactly what they do and do not do, the choice to support them should be obvious, especially for those with fuel and petrochemical manufacturing facilities in their districts—sites that provide thousands of good, family-supporting jobs and are economic anchors in their communities.” – Chet Thompson, AFPM President & CEO
Dear Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Pallone,
The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) writes in support of three bills that will be considered by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce: H.R. 1435 The Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, H.R. 4468 The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023, and H.R. 4469, The No Fuel Credits for Batteries Act of 2023. We encourage the Committee to advance this legislative package and to advocate for swift passage on the House floor.
AFPM is the leading trade association representing the US refining industry, which supplies gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel, and renewable diesel around the country; the petrochemical industry, which manufactures the essential building blocks for modern life; and the midstream energy industry, which makes it possible to transport energy feedstocks and products where they need to go.
Our industries are committed to working with policymakers to identify ways to meet growing global demand for affordable energy while increasing fuel efficiency and reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. The US refining and petrochemical industries are essential in this endeavor and are both enthusiastic and well-positioned to lead the world due to years of innovation and investment, our workforce, and the competitive advantages offered by access to domestic crude oil and natural gas.
The bills under consideration are critical for encouraging competition and innovation among fuel and vehicle technologies. A sustainable future is only possible if we take an “all of the above approach” to energy, utilizing American renewable and petroleum liquid fuels, renewable and geologic natural gas, hydrogen, electric vehicles (EVs), and an array of feedstocks. Unfortunately, the federal government and states led by California are taking the opposite approach, effectively banning the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
These bans would trade away consumer choice and energy independence for a dependency on foreign adversaries and an ineffective climate policy. While these policies claim to be pro-climate, they not only fail to account for carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing and charging of EVs, but also put in place an arbitrary systemic bias against any liquid fuel. At the same time, they increase our reliance on the critical minerals and batteries supply chain, which is almost exclusively controlled by China. China operates the majority of Africa’s largest lithium mining projects and 80 percent of lithium refining. Within two years, they are also expected to control half of all cobalt production.
Rather than being subjected to prescriptive technology mandates, consumers should be able to choose vehicles that fit their families’ needs. The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023 and the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act will ensure that industries can continue to innovate and compete for both consumers and emissions reductions. Neither bill removes the federal government’s ability to set more stringent tailpipe standards or for California to take steps to set emissions standards consistent with the Clean Air Act. The legislation simply ensures that all technologies may compete.
Similarly, the No Fuel Credits for Batteries Act of 2023 will ensure that EPA cannot misuse the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to eliminate liquid fuels and force a transition to EVs. EPA recently removed eRINS program language from the final 2023-2025 RFS Set Rule. However, during testimony before your committee on June 22nd, 2023, EPA Assistant Administrator Joe Goffman stated the Agency will continue to explore avenues to pursue eRINS. Congress must make it clear that the RFS is a liquid fuels program and not a tool to force an EV transition.
AFPM strongly supports these bills and hopes to see widespread support for these commonsense measures. We urge you and your colleagues to quickly report them to the House floor and pursue swift floor consideration.
Thank you for your consideration on these matters. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to discuss this legislation.
Regards,
Chet Thompson
President and CEO
American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers
