US biodiesel association asks Trump to ‘save’ small producers
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB), together with 33 of its members, has sent a letter to US President Donal Trump asking him to save small biodiesel producers who have been impacted by the small refinery exemptions (SREs) granted under the Trump administration.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted numerous retroactive SREs under the Renewable Fuel Standard; NBB believes that over 200 million gallons of US biodiesel production capacity has been idled due to this policy instability.
"Every small refinery waiver issued by the Environmental Protection Agency has the potential to put a US biodiesel producer out of business," the letter reads. "We anticipate that additional facilities will close over the next several months if you do not take quick action to restore RFS volumes for biodiesel and renewable diesel."
Other policies harming the biodiesel industry, according to the NBB, include the US Department of Commerce’s recent proposal to virtually eliminate trade protections against heavily subsidised foreign imports of biodiesel.
"Growth in the biodiesel market is the only way to keep domestic producers operating and protect US workers' jobs," the letter adds.
Commenting on the industry’s appeal to Trump, Kurt Kovarik, vice-president of federal affairs at the NBB, said: "It is important for President Trump to keep his word and continue supporting the Renewable Fuel Standard. We are asking the administration to, first, restore the RFS volumes undercut by small refinery exemptions over the past several years and, second, continue to provide growth for biodiesel and renewable diesel in the RFS programme."
A copy of the letter sent by the NBB and its members can be read here.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted numerous retroactive SREs under the Renewable Fuel Standard; NBB believes that over 200 million gallons of US biodiesel production capacity has been idled due to this policy instability.
"Every small refinery waiver issued by the Environmental Protection Agency has the potential to put a US biodiesel producer out of business," the letter reads. "We anticipate that additional facilities will close over the next several months if you do not take quick action to restore RFS volumes for biodiesel and renewable diesel."
Other policies harming the biodiesel industry, according to the NBB, include the US Department of Commerce’s recent proposal to virtually eliminate trade protections against heavily subsidised foreign imports of biodiesel.
"Growth in the biodiesel market is the only way to keep domestic producers operating and protect US workers' jobs," the letter adds.
Commenting on the industry’s appeal to Trump, Kurt Kovarik, vice-president of federal affairs at the NBB, said: "It is important for President Trump to keep his word and continue supporting the Renewable Fuel Standard. We are asking the administration to, first, restore the RFS volumes undercut by small refinery exemptions over the past several years and, second, continue to provide growth for biodiesel and renewable diesel in the RFS programme."
A copy of the letter sent by the NBB and its members can be read here.
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