Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) held a rally at Philadelphia Energy Solutions with refinery workers from along the East Coast to continue his attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), much to the disappointment of the ethanol industry.

“Senator Cruz’s efforts to secure a so-called ‘win-win’ solution to protect refining jobs are entirely misdirected,” said Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “If lowering the price of RINs is deemed a necessity, however, there is indeed a win-win. Expand the use of renewable fuel by undoing the unnecessary regulations on higher ethanol blends. That would be consistent with Sen. Cruz’s and the president’s regulatory reform agenda, while protecting jobs in both refining and agriculture.”

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings said, “It is shameful that Senator Cruz is calling on Uncle Sam to bailout PES for mismanagement blunders when most U.S. refiners have been complying with the law. The ethanol industry has been crystal clear with anyone willing to listen that the win-win Senator Cruz claims to seek is to grant RVP relief for E15 and higher blends.”

“Corn farmers’ definition of a “win-win” is providing regulatory parity for E15, and higher blends of ethanol, which would increase the supply of RINs to lower RIN values, and improve transparency in the trading system,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes. “The only plan Senator Cruz has is to block the confirmation of Bill Northey, a well-qualified and much-needed leader at the Department of Agriculture, in order to undercut the successful, and beneficial Renewable Fuel Standard.“