While the EPA administrator defends this week’s decision to deny small refinery exemptions of biofuels mandates, Wyoming U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi says it will hurt energy workers.
Enzi’s office notes that 17 small refineries across the country submitted petitions since March asking to EPA to reconsider fuel standards exemption denials for previous compliance years.
“Wheeler announced the agency is denying those petitions, saying that the small refineries did not demonstrate disproportionate economic hardship from compliance with the program,” Enzi’s office said.
Elsewhere, oil-state Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said the decision, on top of the Justice Department’s decision not to appeal the 10th Circuit ruling, “all but sounded the death knell on the small refinery exemption program and the thousands of blue collar jobs it helped protect.”
“This decision follows President Trump’s promise to promote domestic biofuel production, support our nation’s farmers, and in turn strengthen our energy independence,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a press release. “At the EPA, we are delivering on that promise by following the rule-of-law and ensuring 15 billion gallons are blended into the nation’s fuel supply.”
Source: Oil City News
