Letter to Scott Pruitt, EPA Administrator - Oppose Changes That Would Undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)

Letter

Dear Administrator Pruitt,

We write in strong support of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and to urge you to oppose any changes that would undermine the objectives of the standard.

The RFS is an effective driver of economic development. It has strengthened agriculture markets and created hundreds of thousands of jobs in the new energy economy, and driven economic growth in rural communities across the country. A stable RFS reduces our nation's reliance on foreign oil and provides the certainty needed to drive innovation and progress towards advanced biofuels.

President Trump has made his views on the RFS clear. In 2016 he said, "The RFS…is an important tool in the mission to achieve energy independence for the United States. I will do all that is in my power as President to achieve that goal."

During your confirmation hearing, you testified that, "Any steps that the EPA Administrator takes need to be done in such a way to further the objectives of Congress in that statute, not undermine the objectives of Congress in that statute."

These comments and the 2018 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) suggest a commitment to a strong RFS program and rural communities across this country. That is why recent comments calling for changes to the standard are troubling. For example, capping or waiving Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) requirements would fundamentally undermine the objectives of the standard and also contradict recently conducted analyses. The Environmental Protection Agency's findings from the most recent 2018 final rule stated that the "EPA has invested significant resources evaluating the impact of high RIN prices on refiners. After reviewing the available data, EPA has concluded that… high RIN prices do not cause significant harm to refiners."

We urge you to reject changes to the RFS that hinder the growth of rural economies. We look forward to working with you on the 2019 rule to ensure continued growth in the U.S. biofuel sector.

Sincerely,