RFA Calls on President to Reject Refinery Waivers

Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper penned a letter to President Donald Trump June 11 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.”