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Ethanol supporters hoping for RFS reversal

Ethanol supporters are hoping that the avalanche of comments that the EPA received on its proposal to lower the ethanol volume requirement in the Renewable Fuels Standard will convince the agency to change its mind.

At the very least, a partial reversal, says Nebraska Ethanol Board administrator Todd Sneller.

“We’re hopeful that come mid-June or so, when that announcement comes out, that it will be a higher number than was required in the current proposal by EPA,” Sneller says, “although it may still be somewhat lower than the Congress had initially required.”

The EPA received more than 200-thousand comments on the RFS proposal.  Speaking to ag journalists in Washington last week, EPA administrator Gina McCarthy hinted that the final rule would probably be different than the one that was proposed, but did not offer specifics.

EPA’s proposal drops the corn ethanol requirement from 14.4 billion gallons to a little more than 13 billion gallons, an amount less than the 13.8 billion gallons required in 2013.

Sneller made his comments in an interview with Brownfield at the Ethanol 2014: Emerging Issues Forum in Omaha.

AUDIO: Todd Sneller (5:25 MP3)