The Congressional Biofuels Caucus has added its voice to the many calling for EPA to deny the 52 so-called “gap year” Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Small Refinery Exemption (SRE) petitions received last month.

Co-Chairmen Rodney Davis (R-IL), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), and more than two dozen other members of the bipartisan Caucus sent a letter to President Donald Trump this week urging him to “respect the Congressional intent of the RFS and the 10th Circuit Court’s recent ruling.”

The purpose of the petitions for retroactive SREs is geared toward waiving RFS requirements dating back to 2011 in an attempt to circumvent the recent 10th Circuit Court ruling which determined that only existing SREs could be extended, and that they must be tied to economic harm caused specifically by the RFS.

“The Trump Administration has now heard from Members of the House, Senators and Governors on this important issue for rural America,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Even the Environmental Protection Agency itself has noted there are significant ‘issues’ with these waivers, and we urge a speedy denial of these attempts by the oil industry to circumvent federal law and the recent court decision limiting waivers to extensions of ones previously received.”

National Biodiesel Board VP of Federal Affairs Kurt Kovarik adds, “EPA’s continued delay in rejecting these petitions will only exacerbate the economic challenges facing biodiesel and renewable diesel producers as well as soybean farmers during the national economic emergency.”

Related audio –
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler gives update on retroactive SRE requests 7/1
EPA Admin Wheeler comments (:51)

Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Cindy Axne (D-IA), as well as National Sorghum Producers CEO Tim Lust, National Corn Growers CEO Jon Doggett, and Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper comment on challenges facing ethanol industry during recent Biofuels Caucus Town Hall.