The Government Accountability Office will review the Trump Administration’s biofuel small refinery exemptions following a request from lawmakers. Iowa Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer made the request saying that granting more than 80 small refinery exemption waivers isn’t just something the administration can sweep under the rug. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw is pleased the GAO is conducting an audit of those S-R-E-s.
He says the devastating impact of the over issuance of small refinery exemptions can be seen by the fact that 2019 ethanol production in Iowa went down for the first time in the history of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Shaw says there must be more transparency on the S-R-Es and both GAO and other government agencies have the ability to shed light on those.
Under the Trump administration, small refinery exemption waivers have more than quadrupled from the previous administration.
