Gov. Ricketts Urges EPA to Strengthen Commitment to Renewable Fuels

(KFOR NEWS August 16, 2019) Governor Pete Ricketts addressed the 32^nd annual American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference in Omaha on Thursday, discussing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recent decision to exempt 31 small refineries from fulfilling their Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“As the second largest ethanol producing state in the nation, President Trump’s approval of year-round E15 is a big win for Nebraska,” said Governor Ricketts. “There is, however, still more work to do. While the EPA granted fewer small refinery waivers to the RFS this year, the 1.4 billion gallons waived undermines the purpose of the RFS. To deliver on President Trump’s support for ethanol, the EPA should be more transparent about the waiver process and reallocate any waived gallons. They owe it to our farmers.”

Each year, several small refineries petition the EPA for temporary exemptions to their RVOs. The EPA exempted fewer than 10 small refineries annually under the RFS for 2013-2015. However, in recent years the EPA has been much more willing to grant exemptions. Under the 2018 RFS, 40 small refineries sought exemptions and 31 received them.