Wednesday, American Coalition for Ethanol Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty testified at an Environmental Protection Agency public hearing in Michigan. Testimony was taken on the proposal by the EPA on the 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard renewable volume obligations. EPA’s proposal calls for 15 billion gallons to be blended into corn ethanol and total biofuels at 19.88 billion gallons. Lamberty says he told the agency they need to follow the RFS as it’s intended by Congress.
He says one of the major concerns of many who testified is the fix needed to prevent a large number of RFS waivers from being granted which has reduced the volume of ethanol to be blended.
The RFS waivers have resulted in a corn ethanol rvo of not 15 billion gallons but 13 billion gallons. Lamberty says another problem is that some refiners granted hardship waivers also received rins they could take advantage of.
He says then those granted the waivers and receiving rins resulted in actual ethanol use being reduced to 12 billion gallons. The EPA is taking public comment up until August 17.
