A new year and a new Congress bring new challenges for the ethanol industry, especially when it comes to making significant progress. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said that, unfortunately, he doesn?t see things changing too much with a GOP-controlled House and a Democrat-led Senate.
?We?re not expecting a whole lot of activity related to renewable fuels or energy,? Cooper said. ?When you?ve got a split Congress, we just don?t expect much to be happening. There?ll be oversight hearings and some noise in the House around the RFS, and things like that, but we really don?t expect to see much in the way of real activity.?
However, that doesn?t mean they?re going to just roll over and give up. Cooper said the biofuels industry will still press its goals in Congress and at federal agencies.
?[We?re] protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard and making sure that this recent proposal from EPA is properly implemented and implemented in a timely way,? Cooper said. ?And then our other priority, of course, is going to be securing access for year-round E15. And we certainly saw legislation introduced that would have done that for us toward the end of 2022. We fully expect to see legislation introduced, early in the new Congress.?
One area Cooper feels could see bipartisan support to allow E15 sales by next summer?s driving season. The RFA will continue its joint fight alongside EPA against several small oil refiners who lost ethanol waivers and are appealing in court.
For more information, visit ethanolrfa.org.
