Frustration From the Corn Belt Over EPA Biofuel Refinery Waivers
Background
Earlier this month, Reuters writers Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw reported that, “U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler told a biofuels company on [December 5th] that the agency is working to address industry concerns over biofuel blending rules that have sparked outrage across the Farm Belt, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“Biofuel producers and representatives of corn farmers are unhappy with the EPA’s expanded use of waivers exempting oil refineries from their annual ethanol blending requirements. They say that agency’s efforts to address the issue with proposed tweaks to the 2020 blending requirements are not enough.
Feed Outlook / FDS-19l / December 12, 2019 Economic Research Service, USDA.
“The EPA plans to send the proposed 2020 blending mandates to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget for approval by the end of the week, according to two sources familiar with the matter. It is not clear whether that plan will include any changes since the agency unveiled the proposal in October.”
And last week, Stephanie Kelly reported at Reuters that,
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley said on [December 10th] he has been assured by the White House that 2020 biofuel blending mandates will be finalized in accordance with a September agreement between the administration and biofuel and corn producers.
Ms. Kelly explained that, “In September, the Trump administration came to an informal agreement with the ethanol industry and its backers to adjust refiner quotas higher in 2020 to make up for the EPA’s recent expanded use of waivers exempting some smaller facilities under financial strain from their blending obligations.
“But in October, after pushback from the oil industry, the EPA unveiled a proposal that contained some differences that biofuel producers said amounted to a betrayal of the September agreement.”
donnelle eller@DonnelleE
.@iowa_corn is taking its frustration over EPA’s small refinery waivers directly to @realDonaldTrump with DC ads https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WpDXQApg5l4 …
YouTube @YouTube
Latest Developments
With this background in mind, Bloomberg writer Jennifer A Dlouhy reported this week that, “The Trump administration on Thursday set relatively flat quotas for plant-based fuels in 2020, rebuffing ethanol and biodiesel allies who said the targets don’t do enough to support the industry.
“The Environmental Protection Agency will require refiners to use 20.09 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2020, a 0.85% increase over the 2019 requirement for 19.92 billion gallons, largely tracking a proposal released in July.
The agency is also sticking with its plan for adjusting blending requirements to offset waivers exempting some refineries from the mandates, despite criticism from biofuel allies in politically important farm states that the approach is inadequate.
The Bloomberg article noted that, “EPA officials say that with those adjustments, the agency’s plan effectively lays out a 2020 target for 15.8 billion gallons of conventional renewable fuels, including corn-based ethanol, with that translating to 15 billion gallons once refinery waivers are factored in. A senior EPA official said the strategy allows the agency to better ensure targets are actually met while still giving small refineries relief from the requirements when appropriate.”
Ms. Dlouhy stated that, “Under the EPA rule, refiners are expected to use 5.09 billion gallons of advanced biofuel, including 590 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel. And in 2021, refiners and fuel importers will be required to use 2.43 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel made from soybeans and waste cooking oil — identical to the 2020 target.”
“For weeks, biofuel producers, farmers and politicians from the U.S. Midwest unsuccessfully implored administration officials — including President Donald Trump himself — to alter the EPA’s approach so that it better assures biofuel quotas aren’t undermined by refinery waivers. They say the EPA measure falls short by basing adjustments on a three-year average of Energy Department recommendations on those refinery waivers — rather than the higher number the EPA has actually granted,” the Bloomberg article said.
“The proposed adjustments in the notice designate that this three-year rolling average will be based on the relief recommended by the Department of Energy, not on actual exemptions granted. This is a key point of contention for the industry as there is often a disconnect between how many gallons are recommended by DOE to exempt through full or partial exemptions and what the actual exemptions end up being. Simply put, DOE recommended a lower number of RVOs be exempted by EPA, EPA disregarded that and exempted a larger number of RVOs. EPA then proposed to account for the actual lost gallons by using the lower DOE numbers it had already rejected, resulting in a certain creative irony.” (“EPA’s Small Refinery Waiver Proposal Is an Unbalanced Approach for Agriculture,” American Farm Bureau Federation (October 21, 2019- https://bit.ly/32Tat5w).
DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton reported on Thursday that, “Biofuel advocates simply wanted EPA to offset its annual volume of small-refinery exemptions by requiring other petroleum refineries to pick up any volume of gallons that were granted as exemptions. Instead, EPA came up with a three-year-average plan the leaves uncertainty over whether 15 billion gallons of biofuels are actually used.
“EPA, though, maintains its plan keeps to the president’s promise made last fall. Under the plan, EPA is using a three-year methodology based on how the agency granted small-refinery exemptions for the years 2016-2018. EPA noted the Department of Energy had recommended 770 million gallons of small-refinery relief during that time. EPA will use this three-year average volume calculation from now on to grant small-refinery exemptions for 2019, 2020 and beyond.”
Donnelle Eller reported on Thursday at The Des Moines Register Online that,
Instead of using a three-year rolling average of the actual gallons waived for refineries, EPA will use an average of the gallons that the Energy Department recommends waiving, which has been significantly less since 2016.
“‘Apparently President Trump doesn’t care about his promise to Iowa’s farmers,’ said Jim Greif, a Monticello farmer who is the Iowa Corn Growers Association board president. ‘He had the opportunity to tell his EPA to stick to the deal that was made’ in September.”
Several lawmakers, as well as Iowa GOP Governor Kim Reynolds, expressed displeasure with the EPA announcement on Twitter:
ChuckGrassley
✔@ChuckGrassley
These magic words from Oval Office Sept 12 agreement are missing from 2days EPA rule on Renewable Fuel Standard “three year rolling average based on hard data and actual waived gallons” EPA changed deal from what was agreed 2 w Pres Trump Will hold Wheeler’s feet to fire on RFS
Joni Ernst
✔@SenJoniErnst · 20h
After shaking hands in the Oval Office this fall, @EPA had an opportunity to restore the broken trust of farmers and to follow through on the president’s commitment, but it appears they’ve missed the mark…again.
Joni Ernst
✔@SenJoniErnst
We were guaranteed a deal in September, and we were assured of that same deal in October, yet @EPA rolled out, and has now finalized, a different proposal. It’s no wonder trust has been lost. My full statement: https://www.ernst.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E4D9DC10-ED8E-473D-AC9A-28F468074B05 …
Ernst, Grassley Issue Statements on EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard Rule
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), tireless advocates for Iowa’s renewable fuels industry, issued the following statements with regard to the U.S. Environmental…
ernst.senate.gov
Rep. Adrian Smith
✔@RepAdrianSmith
While parts of the proposal look positive, the 2020 #RFS does not sufficiently address the continued abuse of small refinery exemptions. Once again, @EPAAWheeler left in place a significant loophole.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow
✔@SenStabenow
In a time of great uncertainty for agriculture, we need policies that support our Michigan corn and soybean farmers. The Trump Administration’s final biofuels proposal falls far short of what was promised to farmers. https://twitter.com/MI_Corn/status/1207700320790425603 …Michigan Corn@MI_Corn
Disappointed with @EPA ‘s final RVO announcement – falls well short of what was promised #ethanol #RFS http://bit.ly/2MciJHE
1:56 PM – Dec 19, 2019
Gov. Kim Reynolds
✔@IAGovernor
EPA Administrator Wheeler should know we are not done holding him to the agreement we reached with President Trump in the Oval Office on September 12th. My statement: https://governor.iowa.gov/2019/12/gov-reynolds-disappointed-in-epa-action-on-renewable-fuel-standar …
Gov. Reynolds disappointed in EPA action on Renewable Fuel Standar
12-19-19 DES MOINES– Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule to establish required renewable volumes under the
governor.iowa.gov
Rep. Cindy Axne
✔@RepCindyAxne
The EPA’s announcement today is unacceptable, but sadly not unexpected.
After years of abuse of small refinery exemptions, this administration had a chance to do right by farmers, but instead it doubled down on undermining the RFS and hurting Iowa.https://www.agweb.com/article/epa-sticks-controversial-rfs-rule …
EPA Sticks To Controversial RFS Rule
EPA Sticks To Controversial RFS Rule by John Herath | Read more Regional News about Agriculture and Crop Production on AgWeb.
agweb.com
Abby Finkenauer
✔@RepFinkenauer
Senator John Thune
✔@SenJohnThune
The administration has committed to reaching 15 billion gallons of ethanol-blended fuel next year, and South Dakota will hold them to it. Read my full statement on the new RFS rule https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=20CBE167-60DF-41BE-A78F-74451A1D7C98 …
Thune Statement on RFS Final Rule
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule that establishes the required renewable fuel…
thune.senate.gov
Rep. Dusty Johnson
✔@RepDustyJohnson
My full statement on the @EPA‘s final #RFS rule https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-statement-rfs-announcement …
Johnson Statement on RFS Announcement
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today made the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a finalized rule, establishing renewable…
dustyjohnson.house.gov
Farm Policy@FarmPolicy
From @HouseAgDems: “@EPA Lets Down #Farmers Again.”
Dave Loebsack
✔@daveloebsack
“The final RFS rule set forth by the EPA is another slap in the face to Iowa’s farmers and ethanol producers.,” Dave said in response to the @EPA‘s final RFS rule for 2020. Read Dave’s full statement in the link. #RFSworks https://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397338 …
Loebsack Statement on the EPA’s Final RFS Rule
loebsack.house.gov
Senator Deb Fischer
✔@SenatorFischer
While the final RFS volumes rule is an improvement over the previous one, I am wary—as are many Nebraskans—that the @EPA will follow the law and meet these obligations like they say they will.
Read my full statement: https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=414BEFC9-CBB0-4E0E-A535-65570327A75F …
Angie Craig
✔@RepAngieCraig
Yet again, this EPA has picked big oil executives over Minnesota farmers. This rule fails to keep this Administration’s promise to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard and stand with family farmers. http://www.startribune.com/farm-ethanol-groups-angered-at-final-epa-ethanol-rule/566349252/ …
Farm, ethanol groups angered at final EPA ethanol rule
Some farm groups and farm-state lawmakers expressed anger at the Trump administration Thursday over final ethanol rules that they said failed to uphold the president’s promises to the industry.
startribune.com
Source: Keith Good, Farm Policy News