The Environmental Protection Agency will not reallocate waived biofuel volumes in 2019. The agency denied a request by the corn and ethanol industries to reallocate any of those biofuel volumes lost to small refinery waivers next year. South Dakota Corn Growers Association President Troy Knecht says while that’s disappointing it’s just another example of the battle they’ve had with the EPA to get positive renewable fuel growth.
He says those refinery waivers have caused a lot of damage to the ethanol industry and not allowing the reallocation doesn’t fix that problem.
Knecht says even without the reallocation they can still get more ethanol demand if the EPA follows through with the implementation of year-round use of E15.
Corn and ethanol officials have told the Trump administration that many refinery waivers haven’t gone to small refiners but to some of the world’s largest oil companies which shouldn’t happen.
