In a letter to Midwest Senators, the Environmental Protection Agency says it has backed off a series of proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard. EPA administrator Scott Pruitt said, in the letter, the agency would keep renewable fuel volume mandates for next year at or above proposed levels, reversing a previous move to open the door to cuts. The letter follows backlash by Senators from pro-ethanol states, including Iowa and Nebraska. Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst vocally opposed the changes, calling them a “betrayal” of the administration’s promise to support the RFS. The Senators say the move would have undercut domestic demand for ethanol. Administrator Pruitt also offered a path forward for E15 sales year-round, saying the EPA was prepared to work with Congress to examine the possibility.
Source: NAFB News Service