Five States Ask President Trump for Biofuel Blending Waivers

This week, governors from five states requested that President Trump grant the nation’s refineries a waiver from biofuel blending requirements under the RFS due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The governors argued that demand for oil has been very low and, on top of that, blending biofuels only adds to refineries’ costs. Furthermore, the governors argued that reaching the biofuel targets under the RFS are not feasible given the current prices for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs).

The letter, addressed to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and signed by four governors, states, “As our country comes to grips with this national emergency, continuing to implement the current (biofuel requirements) imposes an added obligation that would ‘severely’ harm the sector, and consequently harm the economy of the States and the Nation.” The letter was signed by the governors of Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Click here to view the letter. Additionally, Louisiana also sent a letter of its own to President Trump with a similar request last week. 

Meanwhile, the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) issued a blog titled, “Correcting the Record on RFS General Waivers and Severe Economic Harm Amid COVID-19,” that defended the Governors’ move to reduce the corn ethanol mandate. Click here to read the blog.