NEWS: Inhofe Statement on EPA's RFS Mandates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:

Kristina Baum - 202.224.6176

Donelle Harder - 202.224.1282

Inhofe Statement on EPA's RFS Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released the following statement on the E.P.A.'s (EPA) announcement today of 3 suggested yearly mandates for the Renewable Fuel Standard:

"EPA's announcement adds to the building evidence of how poorly the agency has managed the renewable fuel standard, and how the mandate is in need of significant reform and oversight. Clearly, the statutory volumes are unachievable. For example, the blendwall of ten percent of gasoline demand is currently around 13 billion gallons, however, the ethanol mandate continues to rise further in statute. Congress wrote the RFS with the assumption that gasoline demand would continue to increase significantly due to concerns about domestic sources of energy. However, the shale boom has led to extensive growth in U.S. oil and gas production. Every year since the Renewable Fuel Standard was expanded, E.P.A. has missed implementation deadlines, waived entire portions of yearly required volumes, and has had to approve imported feedstocks for RFS compliance. All of these actions by E.P.A. give a clear case for a mismanaged plan in need of rigorous oversight."

E.P.A. is required under the Clean Air Act to finalize volumes by Nov. 30 of the prior year, which means the 2014 mandate announced today will be 3 years late by the time it is finalized.

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