Contact: Cassidy Walter
515-252-6249

JOHNSTON, IOWA – Today EPA announced it will accept comments on a proposed regulation that would allow EPA to publicly release the names and other basic information of companies who apply for small-refinery exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard.

In response to this announcement, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw made the following statement:

“For far too long the small-refinery exemption (SRE) process has been locked in a black box. We’re glad EPA is proposing to shed some light on who is applying. However, I am reminded of the old silent movie where the damsel in distress is tied to the railroad tracks and a train is approaching. Sometimes the damsel is wearing a blind fold and sometimes she isn’t. So while transparency is positive, if the train hits it will hurt just the same whether you saw it coming or not. The bottom line remains, with RIN prices trading at levels even Senator Ted Cruz deemed acceptable there is no justification for any new SREs to be granted. Refiners are raking in record profits while biofuel plants and farmers are treading water.”

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production 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. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.

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