With another White House meeting set for April 9 to discuss the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard, Iowa ethanol and biodiesel producers urged U.S. Sens. Grassley and Ernst to communicate directly to President Donald Trump that any administrative action to cap or waive the RFS program would be viewed as a declaration of war on rural America.

The biofuels producers state in a letter to Grassley and Ernst, “We urge you to reach out directly to President Trump to make clear that any administration action to waive or cap RINs will be viewed as nothing less than a declaration of war on rural America and a complete abdication of his repeated promises to protect the RFS.” 

Reports are circulating that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt will use the April 9 meeting with Trump to once again push Sen. Ted Cruz’s disastrous RIN waiver scheme that, according to the petroleum industry’s own study, would destroy demand for biofuels.

Noting that recent EPA actions have already caused RIN prices to fall by two-thirds, providing the petroleum industry with a multibillion-dollar windfall, the biofuels producers urged Grassley and Ernst to convince President Trump to finally allow year-round E15 sales.

“Instead of breaking his promise to protect the RFS, President Trump should fulfill his promise (made in Iowa) ‘to end restrictions that keep higher blends of ethanol and biofuel from being sold,’” the letter states.

In addition to opposing the new effort to gut the RFS, the biofuels producers urged Iowa’s senators to call on President Trump to rein in his rogue EPA Administrator regarding the abusive granting of small refinery exemptions. 

Based on media reports of the secretive waivers, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association has estimated that over 1 billion gallons of biofuels demand has been unnecessarily destroyed.

 

“According to petroleum sources, Pruitt essentially invited refiners to make requests by making clear that exemptions would be granted,” the letter states. “It is clear that Pruitt has abused the small refinery exemption process when even the oil industry is saying: ‘Anyone with a brain submitted an application. The EPA was handing out those exemptions like trick or treat candy.’”

In summation, the biofuels producers write, “Since taking the helm at the EPA, Pruitt has repeatedly and relentlessly sought ways to subvert the President’s RFS promises and to undermine, if not destroy, the effectiveness of the program. His anti-RFS actions must be put to an end because today Scott Pruitt is essentially making a liar out of President Trump.”

The biofuels producers also highlighted their sincere and heartfelt gratitude for the time, effort, and unwavering dedication that Grassley and Ernst have shown in defending the letter and spirit of the RFS, noting, “As you seek to ensure its benefits to consumers, air quality, fuel competition, American jobs, energy security, and the rural economy are fully realized…Today we once again call upon you to help us protect the RFS from an insidious attack.”