U.S. President Donald Trump has directed members of his Cabinet to review the administration’s expanded use of waivers exempting small refineries from the nation’s biofuel policy, after hearing from farmers angry about the issue during his recent Midwest tour, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Trump's move underscores the rising political importance of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, a more than decade-old law which requires refineries to blend corn-based ethanol into their gasoline to help farmers, but which also provides waivers to small refining facilities that can prove compliance would cause them financial harm.
Since Trump took office, the Environmental Protection Agency has more than quadrupled the number of waivers it has granted, saving the oil industry hundreds of millions of dollars, but enraging another key constituency - corn growers - who claim the move threatens demand for one of their staple products.
Trump heard from disgruntled farmers and their political backers on the issue earlier this month when he visited the Midwest to tout his administration's decision to lift a ban on summer sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline called E15. Farmers welcomed that move but warned Trump it was negated by the surge in small refinery exemptions.
The sources said Trump, upon returning from his trip, asked the heads of the EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to find solutions to address the farmers’ concerns. They said the EPA is now considering limiting use of the waivers or forcing larger refiners to make up for the exempted gallons - or a combination of both.
https://www.newsmax.com/finance/markets/trump-biofuel-waiver-program/2019/06/20/id/921250/
The farmers already got their way in the permitting of E15 during summer. Like all liberal grabs of other peoples' money, they are never satisfied, so they want more.
Increasing any usage of biofuels via subsidies or mandates only places more pollution into our atmosphere and increases the cost of fuel for Americans, not to mention food prices.
One of the best things Trump could do is to eliminate the EPA and Dept of Agriculture as their work is already performed by the states rather than solicit from them more mandates onto our backs.
