Oklahoma’s Republican U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford were among 13 republican oil state senators who urged EPA Administrator Michael Regan to use his general waiver authority to reduce Renewable Fuel Standard blending requirements.
The requirements are part of the U.S. Supreme Court challenge made by CVR Energy, operator of the Wynnewood refinery. Justices will hear the case on April 27.
In a letter to Administrator Regan, Sens. Inhofe and Lankford and the others, they pointed to challenges faced by the oil refining industry including the RFS compliance costs.
“The renewable fuels for the 2020 compliance year have already been produced and blended,” the senators wrote. “Thus, a waiver presents no risk of harm to the biofuels industry. This necessary action would provide a degree of relief for these states and avert additional refinery closures and the ensuing economic ripple effects. If relief is not provided in a timely manner, more refineries will be forced to shut down and place thousands of workers on the unemployment rolls just as the economy is beginning to roar back.”
The Senators said at least eight oil refineries closed on the East Coast since 2009 and seven more across the country were idled or closed since the start of 2020.
The letter is signed by Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V.; Steve Daines, R-Mont.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; James Risch, R-Idaho; Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.; James Lankford, R-Okla.; Michael Lee, R-Utah; John Kennedy, R-La.; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; James Inhofe, R-Okla.; and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.
A full copy of the letter can be downloaded from Sen. Toomey’s website.
Source: Biomass Magazine
