Pruitt Provides Vague Answers About RFS Exemptions

The budget for the Environmental Protection Agency was the topic of two separate House hearings on April 26, but lawmakers spent the majority of the time addressing other concerns with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was brought up immediately by House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment Chairman John Shimkus of Illinois.

One of the many subcommittee members from Texas, Rep. Gene Green, questioned Pruitt about the number of RFS small refinery hardship waivers that have been granted by EPA, saying that the oil industry agrees with the ethanol industry that information should be made public.

Iowa Democrat Dave Loebsack asked the administrator what he intends to do about the more than one billion gallons of biofuels required by the statute that have been waived away.