Earlier this week a coalition of biofuels supporters filed a petition in the Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals. The coalition includes the American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, the National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The petition is a direct challenge to the methods used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to grant small refinery exemptions (SRE?s) to certain undisclosed refiners.
The coalition?s petition says the EPA?s explanation for granting SRE?s is only two pages long and doesn?t give a clear explanation about why 36 refiners have been exempted from blending one and a half billion gallons of biofuels. RFA CEO Geoff Cooper calls this a ?misstep by the EPA.?
The coalition is concerned the EPA?s abuse of SRE?s will continue, unabated, because of the lack of transparency in the department.
Like others in the biofuels industry, Cooper dismisses any assurances they are receiving from EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, or President Trump that 15 billion gallons will be 15 billion gallons.
Cooper will testify on Capitol Hill at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing next week.
