During a visit to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual convention on Friday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was asked about EPA’s supplemental proposal to account for small refinery exemptions and to address the concerns of the industry that it is insufficient.
“I want to put it really simple,” said Perdue. “The president expects, I expect, and we have communicated to Andrew Wheeler and the EPA, that 15 billion gallons equals 15 billion gallons.” The secretary says he thinks the industry’s concern is based on a “serious distrust” of EPA based on the agency’s past actions.
Secretary Perdue also added that he believes the current problems the ethanol industry is experiencing this year are based on lower exports, not small refinery waivers, and he’s “got the facts to prove it.”
Listen to the question from Lorrie Boyer of WSIR and Perdue’s answer here:
Interview with Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Full fireside chat with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue: Interview with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue