Congressman: 'I'm troubled by reports indicating that inappropriate deals may have been struck'
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today echoed a request made by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) that the EPA's independent inspector general investigate if any inappropriate lobbying efforts were conducted in order to convince the EPA to roll back the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
"If anyone lobbied behind the scenes in an inappropriate way to roll back the RFS we deserve to know," Braley said. "Biofuels have meant tens of thousands of Iowa jobs, pumped billions into the Iowa economy, and moved the whole country closer to energy independence?but it has deep-pocketed opponents and it's important to know if any of them acted inappropriately."
A recent report by Reuters detailed lobbying efforts by Delta Airlines and the Carlyle Group, a Washington-based investment firm, to oppose the current RFS standard. In the wake of that report, CREW wrote to EPA Inspector General Arthur Elkins to request a formal probe concerning whether inappropriate or illegal lobbying efforts had been conducted.
"I am troubled by reports indicating that inappropriate deals may have been struck to craft this proposal," Braley's letter reads.
Braley has led the Congressional effort opposing the proposed EPA changes since they were first reported on in October. Late last year he joined VoteVets.org to deliver over 110,000 signatures to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protesting proposed changes. In November, Braley wrote a letter to President Obama expressing his anger and frustration with the proposed EPA changes. In December, he joined Governor Branstad to testify at an EPA hearing stressing the benefits of the current levels and the positive impact the RFS has on Iowa.
Braley's letter to the EPA Inspector General can be found HERE.
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