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RFA: Data proves waivers harmed ethanol

The chief economist for the Renewable Fuels Association says data from the Energy Information Administration proves the inappropriate refinery waivers granted by the EPA last year hurt ethanol consumption, “The verdict is basically in now. We know that ethanol usage WAS impacted last year, that it went down for the first time in 20 years and there’s really one reason for that and it’s the small refinery exemption,” says Scott Richman.

Richman tells Brownfield Ag News the data proves that both consumption and the ethanol blend rate decreased last year.  From late 2016 through early 2018, he says, the blend rate was finally above the 10% blend wall but all that changed with the waivers granted to large refiners under former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Richman says RFA has made clear to new EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler that according to the law, exemptions should only be made in extreme cases.