EPA boost renewable fuel requirements, but leaders say higher levels meaningless with waivers

The Environmental Protection Agency increased the total amount of ethanol and biodiesel that must used next year to 19.88 billion gallons under the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard for 2019, a 3 percent increase over this year's levels.  But state and national ethanol and biodiesel advocates also wanted a commitment from EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt that the agency would stop providing dozens of hardship waivers to oil refineries. The waivers are designed to help provide relief to small refiners but they've been doled out large oil corporations, too. The industry estimates the waivers have slashed the demand for up to 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol and 275 million gallons of biodiesel. The waivers are "devastating for farmers who have faced more than four years of declining farm income and poor crop prices," Gilley said. "Administrator Pruitt and the Trump Administration must stand up for farmers, immediately reallocate those lost gallons and cease bailouts to the oil industry." The ethanol industry has been roiled in controversy this year after leaders discovered that EPA had been providing hardship waivers to refiners. Reuters reported that EPA has consistently ignored recommendations from the Department of Energy to reject or limit waivers to oil refiners seeking exemptions.