44 Members of Congress Urge Trump to Deny RFS Waiver Requests

June 09, 2020

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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of 44 members of Congress sent a letter to President Trump on June 8 urging him to deny requests filed with the U.S. EPA by several governors seeking a waiver of 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard blending requirements.

“We write to express our concern regarding recent requests to waive blending requirements under the [RFS],” the representatives wrote. “This pandemic has severely strained the market for biofuels, closing plants and dealing another crippling blow to an industry that is already struggling. We urge you to stand with our farmers and rural economies during this challenging time and deny any request for blanket statewide or nationwide waivers from the 2020 RFS blending requirements under the Clean Air Act.”

In the letter, the members of Congress stress that granting the RFS waiver requests would compound the challenges facing rural America and weaken one of the most successful clean air policies in the U.S. “These waivers directly undermine the RFS and only stand to put more pressure on the ethanol and biodiesel industries, which support over 300,000 high-paying American jobs,” they continued.

The representatives also noted that the effects of COVID-19 combined with the damage caused by the EPA’s abuse of small refinery exemptions (SREs) caused more than 150 biofuel plants to idle or reduce production. “This means that over 50 percent of U.S. ethanol production capacity has ceased operations, resulting in economic uncertainty for our rural economies and the loss of a critical market for corn farmers. At an already turbulent time for ethanol and biodiesel producers, we must take action to support—not undermine—the industry and our farmers,” they continued.

The 44 representatives also called the waiver requests “unjustified,” said that they “run contrary to the EPA's well-established precedents,” and stressed the waiver requests fail to meet necessary legal criteria. The letter stresses that recent oil market volatility is not being caused by the RFS. Rather, that volatility is a result of COVID-19-related factors and high production levels in Russia and Saudi Arabia. In addition, the representatives point out that RFS regulations already account for the drop in fuel demand because blending standards are percentage-based. They also note there is currently an excess supply of renewable identification numbers (RINs) on the market and available to refiners, offering flexibility for RFS compliance.

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The letter is signed by Reps. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa; Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa; Roger Marshall, R-Kan.; Collin Peterson, D-Minn.; Rodney Davis, R-Ill.; Angie Craig, D-Minn.; Ann Wagner, R-Mo.; Darin LaHood, R-Ill.; Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.; Mark Pocan, D-Wisc.; Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn.; Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.; Mike Bost, R-Ill.; Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo.; Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.; Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo.; Cindy Axne, D-Iowa; Jim Baird, R-Ind.; Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.; Jason Smith, R-Mo.; Robin Kelly, D-Ill.; Jim Himes, D-Conn.; Sam Graves, R-Mo.; Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.; Ron Estes, R-Kan.; Jahana Hayes, D-Conn.; Steve Watkins, R-Kan.; Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.; James Comer, R-Ky.; Scott Peters, D-Calif.; Sean Casten, D-Ill.; John Larson, D-Conn.; Jacki Walorski, R-Ind.; Joe Courtney, D-Conn.; TJ Cox, D-Calif.; David Cicilline, D-R.I.; Adrian Smith, R-Neb.; Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.; Steve King, R-Iowa; Ann McLane Kuster, D-N.H.; Ron Kind, D-Wisc.; David Scott, D-Ga.; and Rick Crawford, R-Ark.

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A full copy of the letter can be downloaded from Finkenauer’s website. READ MORE0

Members of Congress Defend RFS (Energy.AgWired.com)

Conservation group joins Wyoming governor in call to waive renewable fuel standards (Casper Star Tribune)

RFA Thanks Bipartisan Group of 44 Representatives for Defending RFS (Renewable Fuels Association)

Growth Energy Thanks House Leaders for Defending U.S. Biofuels (Growth Energy)

National Biodiesel Board Commends Members of Congress For Defending Renewable Fuel Standard (GrainNet)

Competing camps plead with Trump over refinery rules (E&E News)

CORN-STATE LAWMAKERS RAMP UP PRESSURE ON TRUMP TO PROTECT RFS: (Washington Examiner)

Axne defends RFS in Corteva virtual town hall (Iowa AgriBusiness Radio)

RFS risks ‘implosion’ as US refiners seek retrospective biofuel waivers (AgriCensus)

Ethanol industry prepared to take refiners back to court over RFS waivers (KMALand)

RENEWABLE FUELS ASSOCIATION CRITICAL OF EPA, DOE FOR CONSIDERING RETROACTIVE SMALL REFINER EXEMPTIONS (Brownfield Ag News)

Finkenauer Leads More Than 40 House Members in Bipartisan Defense of Renewable Fuel Standard with Letter Asking President Trump to Deny Waiver Requests (Office of Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (D-IA-01))