The Governors' Biofuels Coalition announced Friday that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will become chairman and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts will become vice chairman of the group for 2016.

For more than 20 years, the Governors' Biofuels Coalition has worked to strengthen American energy independence and create jobs in rural communities.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will become chairman and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts will become vice chairman of the Governor's Biofuels Coalition for 2016. (Nixon photo: GBC/Ricketts photo: Gov. office)

"I look forward to working with Gov. Ricketts to promote the production and use of biofuels because, in addition to diversifying our energy portfolio, they also give consumers more choices at the pump, reduce harmful emissions, and increase family incomes in rural America," Nixon said. "I thank Governor Branstad for his outstanding leadership, and I look forward to building on his success."

Now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued its final biofuel blending rule, the Coalition will continue to advocate for policies that grow the biofuel industry such as: proposing legislation that will encourage investment in the nation's advanced biofuel industry; asking EPA to enforce Section 202 of the Clean Air Act to limit aromatics and open the market for ethanol as a source of clean octane; dropping the obsolete vapor pressure restrictions on higher ethanol blends; and restoring the fuel economy credits.

"I'm honored to serve as the next vice chairman of this organization, and will continue working to strengthen the energy independence of Nebraska and our country," Ricketts said.

"Nebraska was one of the founding members of the Coalition, and the Coalition continues to play a major role in our nation's energy policies, including the renewable fuel standard."

Nixon and Ricketts both thanked Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad for his leadership of the Coalition last year and for his national leadership on renewable energy policy.