Political Nonsense

You know, politics are a dirty business. It seems that all policies are based on special interests. Putting money in the pockets of policymakers such as Senators, Congressmen, and of course the president. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a state which puts out a lot of ethanol wants EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to stop issuing "small refinery hardship exemptions" or step down from the job.

Grassley was one of the four senators who met with President Trump last week to try and finally resolve differences over the RFS between corn ethanol and oil interests. In the call with reporters, EPA should make sure blend levels match statutory level of 15 billion gallons set by Congress or it will undo the benefits of allowing year-round E15. Grassley also said the EPA is "going to try" to make the summer vapor pressure waiver applicable this year.

In late September, EPA put out a "Notice of Data Availability" seeking input concerning potential reductions for biodiesel under the RFS, on top of freezing biodiesel levels for 2019 in the formal proposed rule and decreasing levels for advanced biofuels, which includes biodiesel.

Grassley also talked about his American Renewable Fuel Jobs Creation Act bill, which would extends the biodiesel tax incentive, which expired at the end of 2016, for three years and changing it from a blenders' to a producers' credit. The change would ensure that the tax credit incentivizes domestic production without subsidizing imported fuel.