Secretary Naig Urges Reform to Small Refinery Exemptions

DES MOINES, Iowa (July 5, 2019) – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed rule under the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) program that would set the minimum amount of renewable fuels that must be supplied to the market in calendar year 2020, as well as the biomass-based diesel volume standard for calendar year 2021. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig issued the following statement in response.

“Biofuels are key to reducing our dependence on foreign oil and our carbon footprint. Supporting the renewable fuels industry also supports American farmers who are hurting from a late planting season and ongoing trade uncertainties. I believe the EPA needs to recognize the industry’s growth potential and increase the ethanol and biodiesel blending targets accordingly. We must also reform the Small Refinery Exemption that continues to undermine demand.”

With 43 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 4.5 billion gallons annually — including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity — and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 400 million gallons annually, Iowa leads the nation in renewable fuels production.