There’s a first time for everything

WASHINGTON – According to Bloomberg’s Jennifer Dlouhy, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) was the first senator to bring up the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) at a Senate Judiciary Committee Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

 

The Hill writes this about Ernst’s exchange with Judge Barrett: “…Sen.  Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) invoked environmental issues to ask the nominee for her views on administrative rulemaking. She specifically discussed cases involving what can be defined as a federal body of water and renewable fuel standard (RFS) waivers, which give exemptions to requirements for a certain amount of ethanol to be blended into fuel.

 

‘ You helped decide a Clean Water Act case, specifically Orchard Hill Building Company v. Army Corps of Engineers. The decision found that the federal government did not provide enough evidence to justify its decision to deem 13 acres of Illinois wetlands as a Water of the U.S. I am very encouraged by how you approached this decision,’ the senator said. 

 

Ernst, who has been an outspoken opponent of renewable fuel waivers, also asked about a recent court decision that vacated RFS waivers the EPA granted to oil refiners.” 

 

Read the full excerpt from The Hill.

 

Politico Morning Energy also picked up on the exchange, writing in part: “Invoking both the Waters of the United States rule and the Renewable Fuel Standard in questioning from Ernst on agency rulemaking, Barrett was also asked about how agencies should interpret laws passed by Congress.”

 

To watch Ernst’s full questioning of Judge Barrett yesterday, click here.

 

###