The National Farmers Union (NFU) has filed a petition seeking the courts to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow congressional direction as mandated by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, NFU is asking for a review of 2014, 2015 and 2016 volume targets.

“Undermining the RFS is not only damaging for agriculture, it is a decision that harms the environment, weakens rural economies and stalls progress towards energy independence,” stated NFU President Roger Johnson. “We believe the EPA’s final rule and interpretation of their general waiver authority is wrong and requires legal review.”

“When the EPA makes a decision at the expense of the administration’s own climate change goals, I question if the agency considered the market supply and surplus RIN credits when drawing its conclusion,” added Johnson.

NFU joins a coalition of biofuels advocates that expressed similar concerns in a joint-petition filed earlier this year.

“As an association rooted in the interests of farmers, ranchers and rural America, NFU has been critical of the EPA’s final RFS ruling.” Johnson concluded, “We look forward to standing alongside our industry partners in support of a challenge to the EPA’s erroneous interpretation of the renewable fuels supply. We are hopeful our actions will bring clarity to this concerning issue.”