Twenty years ago, Al Gore and climate activism were all the rage. As a part of trendy new efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lawmakers established the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requiring a certain minimum amount of renewable fuels to be blended into the nation's transportation fuel supply every year.
Washington promised the standard would reduce emissions and protect the environment. In reality, the RFS distorts the energy market by favoring certain “green” sources over others. It guarantees biofuels like ethanol make up a minimum share of the energy sector, leaving American oil and gas companies fighting it out for the rest.
Americans don’t have any more time for these political games in the marketplace. They need more and more energy -- to run their homes, to drive to the office, and to work their jobs. The economy is digitizing, as Americans work faster and harder than ever before. New technologies like artificial intelligence promise to massively boost productivity. But all these platforms use vastly greater amounts of electricity than ever before. And prices are rising, with electric bills up 5.5% and natural gas up 13.8%.
The Trump administration has already taken substantial efforts to lower energy costs -- from the One Big Beautiful Bill ending corrupt solar and wind subsidies and the gasoline-mileage rules to the Department of Energy slashing regulatory hurdles. Now is the time for them to take the axe to one of the biggest inhibitors to cheaper gas prices. It’s time to end the RFS.
Under the Biden administration, “green” energy like solar panels and offshore windmills received preferential treatment -- while traditional fossil fuels were penalized. Biden killed the Keystone XL pipeline and restricted oil and gas production on federal lands.
It’s time to put the era of high gas prices in the past. Polling shows Americans -- even Gen Zers with a green thumb -- care first and foremost about the affordability of their energy resources. They are seeking reliable ways to power their cars, home appliances, and cellphones. No number of smear campaigns against oil and natural gas is persuading them to put climate politics ahead of personal finances.
Proponents of the RFS will say it helps reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil. But the president doesn’t need some progressive regulation to do that for him. This administration is already supercharging American industry with deregulation and harsh trade negotiations. Continuing to readjust supply chains towards domestic and nearshored energy production can come simultaneously with the repeal of this dated law.
For too long, Washington has forced families to pay more every time they fill up their tanks. The Renewable Fuel Standard isn’t helping anyone at the pump -- it’s just another politicized subsidy that drives up costs and makes life harder. Americans don’t need more mandates, they need affordable gas and reliable power.
The future of U.S. energy doesn’t lie in bureaucrats dictating fuel blends -- it lies in unleashing the full strength of American innovation and production. Lawmakers can either stick by this relic of the early 2000s, or finally deliver relief to consumers by repealing the RFS once and for all. If they care about affordable energy and economic growth, the path forward is clear.
Sam Raus is the David Boaz Resident Writing Fellow at Young Voices, a political analyst and public relations professional. Follow him on X: @SamRaus1.
Image: Amit Patel