Senators urge White House to suspend RFS waivers

by | Apr 9, 2018 | 5 Ag Stories, News

A group of Midwest senators are urging President Donald Trump to cease Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers for refiners.

The waivers, intended for small, struggling refiners, have reportedly been issued to some of the nation?s largest oil refiners, essentially letting them ?off the hook? for their biofuel blending responsibility.

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Thune (R-SD) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) say the ?hardship? waivers issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are being used in an ?unprecedented manner.?

The letter urges the President to call on the EPA to cease the waivers ?until the agency?s administration of the RFS can proceed in a more transparent and impartial manner.?

Grassley charged last week that the EPA is ?chipping away? at the RFS by allowing the hardship waivers to refiners, harming corn demand for U.S. farmers.