Iowa Senator Joni Ernst took her concerns about EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s handling of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to a Senate Ag Committee hearing Tuesday. She questioned Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue about the so-called “small refinery hardship waivers” Pruitt has been granting to oil refiners.
Perdue said he told the EPA administrator the instructions he was given last fall for maintaining the renewable volume obligations (RVO) at 15 billion gallons has essentially been circumvented by the waivers.
Perdue said he is also pushing Pruitt to approve a waiver for E15, allowing year-round sales of the higher ethanol blend.