House Biofuels Caucus urges EPA to approve year-round E15 use and put an end to small refinery waivers.
Reps. Kristi Noem (R., S.D.) and Collin Peterson (D., Minn.) led more than 20 House members in urging the Environmental Protection Agency to approve year-round use of E15 fuel blends. The bipartisan letter to EPA acting administrator Andrew Wheeler strongly encourages the Administration to reduce federal regulations on ethanol instead of implementing policies that only work against farmers and slow down the biofuel market.
EPA approved 48 retroactive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers for refineries for 2016 and 2017 obligations, effectively eliminating 2.25 billion gal. in the marketplace. The 2019 renewable volume obligation targets and the success of the RFS will continue to be undermined if EPA does not account for further waivers, the letter noted.
“We urge the EPA to put an end to these secret waivers until a process is established to make the name of the refinery, the gallons waived, and other relevant information publicly available. Additionally, accounting for any 2019 waived gallons in the final rule would help ensure biofuel production is not harmed by retroactive refinery exemptions,” the letter added.
Making the regulatory change of allowing E15 would increase consumption of biofuels while also lowering renewable identification number prices, which eases implementation of the RFS and provide consumers with another choice at the pump, the letter stated.
“Our ag economy has really suffered in recent years,” Noem said. “By ending unnecessary limitations on E15, we have a big opportunity to help farmers and our ag economy, save consumers money and reduce our reliance on foreign oil.”
Renewable Fuels Assn. president and chief executive officer Bob Dinneen appreciated the support of the House Biofuels Caucus and welcomed their voice to the “growing chorus of consumers, farmers and fuel choice advocates who all recognize the need for administrative action repealing this antiquated regulation.”
He added, “The year-round use of E15 would empower consumers to choose a higher-octane, lower-priced fuel, provide farmers struggling with chronically low commodity prices with an important value-added market and send a strong signal to the marketplace to invest in the infrastructure and technologies that will lead to higher ethanol blends. The time to act is now.”
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