The Trump administration hit two home runs for the ethanol industry during the last week of March amidst National Agriculture Month celebrations – announcing waivers to allow sales of E15 through the summer, in lieu of Congressional action to make it permanent, and finalizing the long-delayed renewable volume obligations for 2026 and 2027. In this edition of The Ethanol Report …
Industry Reacts to Final RFS Volumes
Ethanol industry stakeholders are pleased with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the 2026 and 2027 compliance years under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) ‘Set 2’ Rule overall, but still take issue with the 70% partial reallocation of the 2023–2025 granted small refinery exemptions (SREs). Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says they …
RFS Set 2 Announced at White House Farmer Event
Hundreds of farmers and ranchers representing various regions and commodities joined President Donald Trump on the south lawn of the White House Friday to hear him make several announcements related to agriculture, including addressing Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system complaints, and finalizing historically high Renewable Fuel Standard volume obligations. “I’m also announcing a dramatic update to the Renewable fuel standards …
EPA Announces Waiver to Allow Summer Sales of E15
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin today issued a temporary emergency fuel waiver to allow nationwide sales of E15 and to remove all federal impediments to selling E10. Beginning on May 1, 2026, EPA’s waivers will work to prevent disruption in America’s fuel supply by keeping E15 on the market and giving Americans more fuel options. EPA is issuing …
Zeldin Promises RFS Set 2 Release by End of March
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin confirmed today that the agency will finalize Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Set 2 regulations before the end of the month, providing much-needed certainty to the biofuels industry. Speaking at the Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit with founder Sara Wyant, Zeldin said the agency is in the “very final stages” of releasing the rule, which was …
EPA Official at NEC Delivers RFS News
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation had some breaking news at the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando Wednesday – the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Set 2 final rule has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). EPA’s Aaron Szabo said during his address that he expects the rule will be finalized before the …
Grassley Demands Answers for Small Refinery Exemptions
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter this week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin regarding concerns that some refiners may be making false claims to receive Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Sen. Grassley sent the letter as a follow up on a request sent by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird in October …
EPA Approves More Small Refinery Exemptions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved more Small Refinery Exemptions Friday, prompting backlash from the renewable fuels industry. Acting on 16 individual SRE petitions from eight refineries seeking an exemption from their Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations for compliance years 2021–2024, EPA is granting full exemptions to two petitions, granting partial exemptions to 12 petitions, and denying two petitions. Renewable …
EPA Urged to Fully Reallocate Exempted RFS Volumes
Lawmakers and industry leaders are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to fully reallocate renewable fuel volumes impacted by granted Small Refinery Exemptions. Fifty members of Congress, led by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Thursday to express strong support for the reallocation of 100% of the waived gallons from any granted SREs, and …
Clean Fuels Warns of Huge Losses Without SRE Reallocations
Clean Fuels Alliance America warns that farmers risk losing $7.5 billion unless EPA reallocates gallons affected by small refinery exemptions. Clean Fuels last week wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin with data projecting the economic impact for U.S. soybean farmers and processors of EPA’s proposed supplemental “SRE reallocation volume” to the 2026 and 2027 RFS volumes. EPA is …