WASHINGTON, D.C. – Growth Energy, the nation’s largest ethanol association, today called for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take further action to restore growth under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) after the agency released its final 2020 biofuel targets. While the final rule provides an uptick in federal biofuel targets and signals an intent to account for demand lost to oil refinery exemptions, Growth Energy stressed that the agency must enforce those volumes by accounting for exemptions accurately and that EPA Administrator Wheeler must take additional steps to uphold the administration’s October 4th commitments to rural America.

“President Trump pledged to deliver certainty and stability for America’s farmers and biofuel producers by restoring integrity to the RFS,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “While we’re encouraged that EPA is finally taking steps to follow the law and account for biofuel demand lost to secretive oil refinery exemptions, this rule leaves important work unfinished.

“Integrity is restored to the RFS only if the agency accurately accounts for exemptions it will grant. The rule uses an accounting formula based on Department of Energy recommendations, which EPA has a poor track record of following. All eyes will now be on EPA’s next round of refinery exemptions and future targets, which will signal whether Administrator Wheeler is truly committed to ending demand destruction.

“Additionally, Administrator Wheeler must act swiftly to break down remaining market barriers to E15 as promised in the October 4th EPA announcement. When the RFS is working as intended and government has eliminated market access barriers, drivers across the nation will able to take full advantage of the administration’s move to unleash sales of E15 year-round.

“We are grateful to all our champions who have worked tirelessly to restore growth under the RFS, and we look forward to working with them in the year ahead to restore the biofuels market for America’s struggling farmers and biofuel producers.”

Over the last year, Growth Energy has led the charge to restore growth under the program in wake of an unprecedented surge in exemptions, a campaign garnering widespread support among Republican and Democrat lawmakers.