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ACE concerned history could repeat itself at EPA

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is calling on U.S. Senators to ensure history does not repeat itself if Andrew Wheeler is formally confirmed as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

ACE CEO Brian Jennings tells Brownfield Wheeler’s predecessor, Scott Pruitt, said all the right things during the confirmation process.

“Including expressing support for the Renewable Fuel Standard as the law of the land. And now as we look back on the time Mr. Pruitt led EPA, we know for a fact that those words fell empty.”

He says Pruitt’s actions spoke much louder than his promises, and resulted in demand destruction for ethanol through small refinery exemptions.

“So what we’re trying to do as Mr. Wheeler will come before the Senate in a hearing as early as Wednesday is to make sure Senators carefully vet him. To make sure Senators ask Mr. Wheeler to provide them evidence he will absolutely uphold the RFS as the law of the land.”

Jennings also wants to see pressure on Wheeler to get the RVP rulemaking for E15 relief done in a timely fashion.

He says Senators have leverage ahead of the confirmation process, and need to utilize it to protect the RFS.