Joni of Ernst Leads the Defense of the RFS

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Leading the defenses is Joan of Ernst, er, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa along with Tina Smith of Minnesota, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. Two Republicans, two Democrats, now urging the Trump Administration to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard and reject requests for the RFS to be waived.

Worth noting that the actual Joan of Arc was a farm girl from Domremy, one of the most fortested and pastoral sectors of France, and that Senator Ernst was a military leader of some renown, as a company commader deployed in the Iraq war, eventually rising to lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard. Joan of Arc rose to fame defending at the Siege of Orleans. We’ll make the comparison warmly based on the parallels.

Ernst and Smith are the chair and ranking member of the Senate subcommittee, respectively, on Rural development and Energy.

In a letter to President Trump, Ernst, Smith et al write, “Waiving the RFS would cause further harm to the U.S. economy, especially our most vulnerable rural communities. It would also exacerbate the effects experienced by the biofuel sector as a result of COVID-19, causing far-reaching detrimental impacts on employment, farmers, food security, fuel prices, and the environment. The resiliency of America’s renewable fuel industry has already suffered as a result of the EPA’s drastic expansion of the small refinery waiver program in recent years.”

Further, the senators reject the legality of the waivers, “Recent requests for a waiver of the RFS are unjustified and clearly do not satisfy the rigorous requirements necessary for EPA consideration. RFS waivers can only be granted by EPA if there is a demonstration of ‘severe harm’ to the economy or environment of a state, region or the United States that is directly caused by the RFS. None of these standards are met today and the following reasons clearly demonstrate the case for rejecting the waiver requests…”

Elsewhere, a petition for COVID-19 relief

Also, the leading associations called on House and Senate leaders to ensure the next round of COVID-19 relief does not overlook U.S. ethanol and biodiesel production.

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: ERNST BLOCKS EPA NOMINEE: The ongoing fight over the Renewable Fuel Standard has halted the nomination of the president's pick for the No. 2 job at EPA. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said on Friday she would block Doug Benevento's nomination for deputy administrator from advancing until the agency reveals how it plans to handle the 52 requests for exemptions that seek to waive the biofuel blending requirements going back to 2011, Pro's Eric Wolff reports.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has only one more Republican than Democrat, so Ernst's "no" vote would prevent Benevento from advancing to the floor if Democrats unify against him. In response, Chair John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said he froze action on Benevento's confirmation. "While I strongly disagree with Senator Ernst on the Renewable Fuel Standard, her long-standing position on the side of Iowa corn farmers won't be overcome in this case," Barrasso said in a statement. READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: NOMINATION WATCH: More than 50 industry groups, including the American Chemistry Council, National Association of Manufacturers and National Mining Association, wrote to the leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Friday to urge support for the confirmation of Doug Benevento as deputy administrator for EPA. Benevento's nomination has been held up since Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said she'd block the nominee until the agency reveals how it plans to handle new requests from refineries for exemptions from their biofuel blending requirements. READ MORE