WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — After a recent meeting by U.S. Senators to discuss a pending proposal for biodiesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Anne Steckel, vice-president of federal affairs for the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), said the group is concerned that the government still appears to be considering a proposal that would backtrack from last year’s production level.

“The fact is that biodiesel is the most successful advanced biofuel under the RFS, yet it could see its production cut significantly. This meeting, which was originally requested by a diverse group of 14 Democratic senators from across the country, makes clear that there are serious concerns about the impact that the proposal would have on jobs and economic growth nationwide, in states from Rhode Island to Minnesota to Washington state,” Steckel said. “This is a critical decision, not just for the biodiesel industry but for the future development of clean, American-made renewable fuels that will help us reduce our dangerous dependence on petroleum.”

Last year’s record U.S. market of nearly 1.8 billion gallons of biodiesel was produced using a wide variety of feedstocks including recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a 2014 biodiesel standard of 1.28 billion gallons, a significant cut from last year’s actual production that threatens the survival of many plants nationwide.