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Strong response to proposed RFS cut

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received nearly 40-thousand “genuine and heartfelt” comments opposing the agency’s proposed cuts to the 2014 Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). 

At the same time, RFA acknowledged that there were also thousands of comments submitted in support of the proposed cuts.  But RFA says most of those comments were generated by the American Petroleum Institute’s (API’s) “robo-call initiative”, which the ethanol advocacy group says resulted in “tens of thousands of identical comments, replete with false statements and trite myths”. 

According to RFA, API’s robo-calls used an automated message to tell listeners that more ethanol would cause “higher food prices and damaged car engines”.  RFS says the automated call concluded by directing recipients to “press 1 now” to send a pre-written message to EPA supporting the proposed rule.  

“Unlike the cold, impersonal, fear-induced robo-calls used by Big Oil to the level of absurdity, a diverse group of ethanol supporters often took the time to personally write to the EPA in opposition to the blending cuts,” says Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. “Farmers, ethanol producers, and other renewable fuels supporters explained in great, vivid personal detail how the reductions would hurt their businesses, families, and local communities.”  

“I hope the EPA will distinguish the difference between the mass robo-call responses and the in-depth individual comments written by those most knowledgeable on the impact of the proposed reduction of the RFS. The decision the EPA and White House are about to make will have a lasting effect for years to come.”