Washington, DC - Today, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) thanked President Donald Trump for directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to properly account for future small refinery exemptions in annual Renewable Fuel Standard rules.
NBB also thanked Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) for their steadfast defense of the renewable fuel industry and the RFS program.
NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen stated, "On behalf of NBB's members and soybean growers, we are grateful that President Trump is taking a huge step to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard.
"Biodiesel producers continue to be severely harmed by EPA's misuse of small refinery exemptions.
"Nine producers from across the country – including in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas, Georgia and Iowa – have closed their doors or reduced operations and laid off more than 200 employees.
"Today's announcement is a first step in reversing the loss of production and restoring those jobs.
"The biodiesel industry deeply appreciates the consistently strong advocacy of Agriculture Secretary Perdue and Iowa’s political leaders.”
Kurt Kovarik, NBB Vice President of Federal Affairs, added, "Proper accounting of the exemptions is vital to ensure that the annual RFS volumes send a reliable signal to biodiesel producers, who are making investments and plans for the future.
"The biodiesel industry relies on the RFS program to support continued growth and market development.
"While today's proposal addresses the lost gallons from future exemptions, it does not provide for additional volumes of biomass-based diesel in 2021.
"We will continue to press EPA to send signals for future growth for biodiesel producers and soybean farmers.
"We appreciate President Trump's commitment to make biofuels producers and soybean farmers whole by accounting for waived biofuel gallons using a three-year average of exempted gallons as an estimate.
"We look forward to working with EPA to ensure that the President's commitment is fully and faithfully implemented and the RFS program is made whole from the prior damage."
For more information, please contact Paul Winters at 202-737-8801 or pwinters@biodiesel.org