A coalition of Biofuel and Agriculture groups are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to disallow retroactive small refiner waivers requested by the oil industry. South Dakota Corn’s Executive Director Lisa Richardson says this is nothing more than a back door attempt by oil interests to get around the 10th Circuit Court ruling that called for limited small refiner exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard.
She says by allowing retroactive waivers, the EPA is handing out RINS to the oil industry which undermines the RFS.
Richardson says by circumventing the court decision, it’s increasing market uncertainty at a time when rural communities already face unprecedented economic challenges. She says they’ve shared those concerns in a letter to the administration.
The Biofuel and Agriculture groups noted in their letter that over 100 biofuel plants are fully idled or have cut production with ripple effects negatively impacting agricultural commodity prices, farmers and the food supply.
