Yesterday the American Petroleum Industry (API) released its annual “State of American Energy” report. The release of the report was part of an event where API President and CEO Jack Gerard gave an energy highlight speech. Following the event, Tom Buis, CEO of ethanol industry organization Growth Energy, said that Gerard’s speech brought nothing new to table. Buis said that Bil Oil is fixated on on a “finite resource” and the industry fails to “acknowledge that renewable fuels will play an important role in meeting the nation’s future energy needs.

“While they may mention an ‘all of the above’ approach, the reality is they continue to pursue an ‘all of the above, except renewables.’ Special interests continue to be complacent, accepting the status quo of relying on foreign sources of oil and exporting America’s hard earned money to nefarious groups like OPEC and dictators from some of the most hostile and anti-American countries in the world,” continued Buis.

He noted that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is working and has helped to decrease foreign oil imports by 32 percent; created more than 400,000 good paying jobs; improved the environment; and allowed consumers choices at the pump.

Buis concluded, “What API really said yesterday is that they want to kill any competition that may threaten their bottom line and record profits. They will stop at nothing to maintain the blend wall, prevent market access for fuels such as E15 and ensure that their lock on the fuels market goes unchecked. The RFS is the most successful energy policy this nation has enacted in the last forty years. Not only is it creating jobs but it is revitalizing rural economies. The RFS is a win-win for America, as it is an essential part of a true “all of the above” energy strategy needed to meet the growing energy demands of the 21st century.”