Sioux Falls, SD - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act of 2019, legislation that addresses the timing and transparency issues associated with the small refinery exemption (SRE) program under the RFS.
The bill would set a deadline for refineries to submit petitions for RFS exemptions to ensure granted waivers are prospectively reallocated to non-exempt obligated parties, as well as require that key information surrounding the SREs is publicly available.
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings issued the following statement in support:
“ACE thanks Chairman Peterson and Rep. Johnson for bipartisan legislation to correct EPA’s brazen mismanagement of the RFS small refinery exemption provision.
"Under President Trump, EPA has retroactively granted more than 50 so-called hardship waivers for small refineries, erasing 2.61 billion gallons worth of the RFS blending obligations for 2016 and 2017 compliance years, and has 39 more requests pending for 2018.
“The uptick of waivers without reallocation as required by law has undermined Congressional intent of the RFS.
"This legislation would help ensure EPA’s abuse of small refinery exemptions is put to a stop by requiring timely reallocation of any granted waiver and ensuring the statutory RFS volumes are enforced.
"ACE is grateful for the leadership of Chairman Peterson and Rep. Johnson to help get the RFS back on track by following the rule of law.”
For more information, please contact Katie Fletcher at 605-306-6107.