Lankford: EPA Continues to Stall Already Unworkable RFS

Statement

Representative James Lankford (R-Okla.) issued the following statement after EPA announced today that it will not be finalizing its 2014 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) volume requirements before the end of 2014. According to EPA, "Due to the delay in finalizing the standards for 2014, and given ongoing consideration of the issues presented by the commenters, the agency intends to take action on the 2014 standards rule in 2015."

"EPA's RFS announcement today only serves to fulfill the 90-day OMB requirement of response but throws in the towel on actually complying with the law," said Lankford. "Lacking a clear plan, EPA continues to drag out, stall and generally further complicate the already unworkable RFS, which requires refiners to blend renewable fuels into American gasoline.

"The only clarity in this announcement is that EPA clearly knows the additives mandated would likely not be available in the quantities required. As refiners continue to try to comply with whatever EPA says the RFS rules are on any given day, I have drafted a bill to rework the existing RFS to eliminate the market-distorting ethanol mandates and reprogram the blend levels to provide manageable clarity for American refiners. While a full repeal of the RFS is still the ultimate goal, we must take the steps we can to alleviate the EPA's control over the system.

"In the mean time, while the EPA stalls and ignores the free market, I will continue to work to fix the problems with the RFS, so consumers can manage this Administration's excessive regulations," concluded Lankford.

Source