Fourteen years ago, I helped enact the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The law has been a tremendous success, helping the U.S. to build independence from Middle East oil, creating new markets for Illinois farmers, and helping motorists with lower fuel prices. While the law allows waivers for small oil refineries during brief economic hardship, the most issued in any year has been eight — until President Trump. These small refinery waivers that President Trump is issuing aren’t because of “brief economic hardship.” Big oil is doing just fine. In May, the Department of Energy reported net income for top U.S. oil companies like Exxon and Chevron has totaled $28 billion, the most profitable in five years…Congressional frustration on this topic is bipartisan and growing. EPA argues the waivers are required by the courts, but new evidence proves otherwise. That led to my colleague, Sen. Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa and a longtime biofuels champion, to declare these EPA claims “a lie.” More >>
