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Biofuel groups unhappy with EPA’s proposed RFS rule

Renewable fuels advocates are criticizing the EPA’s proposed RFS volume rule. 

Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper says, “This is a bad proposal any way you look at it for the ethanol and biodiesel industries and the farmers who supply our industries.”

Cooper tells Brownfield EPA’s Friday announcement was not at all what they had hoped for. “It’s absolutely outrageous that EPA would thumb its nose at a court order requiring it to restore exempted volumes from 2016 and they’re also blowing off the President’s commitment to us in the ethanol industry that the administration was going to address the small refinery exemption issue as well.”

Advanced Biofuels Business Council Director Brooke Coleman tells Brownfield the proposed rule does nothing to address lost blending obligations. “It’s a real kick in the teeth for rural America because it really only incrementally increases the Renewable Volume Obligation while doing all sorts of things that help the oil industry.”

And, he says renewable fuel supporters have much to do during the comment period. “We have our work cut out for us. They didn’t leave questions open. They really doubled down on an anti-farmer, an anti-renewable fuel approach, so we’re just going to have to fight like heck to make sure that they stop dropping small refinery wavers and that they stop rewarding oil companies who are avoiding the law.”

Iowa Renewable Fuels President Monty Shaw says refinery exemptions should be the exception, not the rule, and are not justified under current market conditions.

Cooper says one of their lawsuits against the EPA on small refinery exemptions has been scheduled for oral arguments this September in the 10^th Circuit Court.

Renewable fuels advocates are criticizing the EPA’s proposed RFS volume rule. 

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the rule released Friday proposes ethanol blending at 15 billion gallons, in line with statute, but it does not address the demand destruction caused by what they call “unjustified small refinery exemptions (SREs).”

Iowa Renewable Fuels President Monte Shaw says refinery exemptions should be the exception, not the rule, and are not justified under current market conditions.