The Renewable Fuels Association was at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting in Kansas City this week to discuss ethanol issues with reporters in light of the election and the upcoming lame duck session.

“Ethanol was going to turn out just fine in this election no matter what because we were in the enviable position of both candidates supporting ethanol generally and the RFS specifically,” said RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen, who added that the oil industry was probably a loser in the election.

Addressing when the Environmental Protection Agency will rule on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waiver request and how that ruling might go, Dinneen said he has the day after Thanksgiving in the office pool for when it will happen. “The calendar is a funny thing at EPA – they don’t always meet their deadlines,” said Dinneen. “More importantly, I’m pretty confident it’s denied because the conditions for a waiver are just not there.”

Dinneen says maintaining the RFS is critical for the development of cellulosic ethanol and next generation biofuels, as is Congress extending the cellulosic tax incentives.

Listen to an interview with Dinneen from NAFB here: RFA CEO Bob Dinneen at NAFB

Listen to a conference call with Dinneen here: Bob Dinneen Conference Call