RFA Calls on President to Reject Refinery Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper penned a letter to President Donald Trump yesterday on the anniversary of his appearance at an Iowa ethanol plant calling on him to reject attempts to grant the oil industry more waivers from renewable fuel obligations.

“One year ago today, you visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs to join us in celebrating a monumental achievement,” wrote RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “At your direction, EPA had just completed regulatory changes finally allowing year-round sales of gasoline containing 15% ethanol—called E15. But E15 growth would have been exponentially larger if not for your EPA continuing to excuse oil refiners from their legal obligations to blend renewable fuels. As we told you a year ago, EPA’s refinery waivers have caused devastating demand losses for ethanol and corn, and they undermine the expansion of E15.”

Cooper also described the impact of more recent crises, such as the Saudi-Russia oil price war that decimated fuel costs and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cooper commented on the letter during a media call on Thursday.

RFA CEO Geoff Cooper comments on letter to president 1:26

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA