Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said the Environmental Protection Agency owes farmers an explanation on its decision to grant small refineries exemptions from their obligations under the 2018 Renewable Fuels Standard, reports The Independent.
On Thursday, Ricketts addressed the 32nd annual American Coalition for Ethanol conference in Omaha. During his address, he discussed the EPA’s recent decision to exempt 31 small refineries from fulfilling their Renewable Volume Obligations under the 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard.
“While the EPA granted fewer small refinery waivers to the RFS this year, the 1.4 billion gallons waived undermines the purpose of the RFS," Ricketts told the audience.
In related news, Radio Iowa reports that Republican Senator Joni Ernst said there’s a strong, negative reaction to the Reuters report indicating President Trump directed the EPA to grant oil companies waivers reducing the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline.
“I’m very disappointed,” Ernst said during a news conference. “Our farmers are angry.”
Radio Iowa also reports that on Friday, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley bluntly said the EPA had “screwed” farmers by giving oil companies like Exxon and Chevron permission to avoid blending ethanol into gasoline.
