During a cabinet meeting on Monday, President Donald Trump praised EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler for making small refineries happy by granting them waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
“And I know you’re working on the small refineries — getting that straightened away so that it’s going to be terrific for the small refineries,” President Trump said to Wheeler. “They’ve been hurt for a long time, and we gave them waivers for this year. And that will — that’s helped them a lot. But I want you to work on that. Make sure the small refineries are happy.”
The president then turned to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to talk about “ethanol for our farmers” and what the administration has done and how “ethanol now has been fully approved.”
Sec. Perdue first noted the president’s approval of E15 for year round sales this summer as good for farmers. “You’ve also balanced up the smaller refinery waivers with the farmers and RFS,” he added. “And once they fully understand what you’ve done here, they’ll be fine, and — as they see it implemented.”
Listen here: Trump Cabinet meeting ethanol remarks (1:15)