The ethanol industry slams President Donald Trump after reports say he gave the green light to the Environmental Protection Agency to grant 31 additional small refinery waivers.
After directing the USDA and the EPA to hash out a compromise, reports say Trump told the EPA to issue the 2018 refinery waivers; a surprise for ethanol groups.
Since President Trump took office, his administration has issued over eighty waivers; a sharp increase from the amount given during the Obama Administration.
Leaders say the worst part for the industry is lost demand. Lawmakers from big ethanol states like Iowa call out the legitimacy of the waivers.
Representative Cindy Axne (D- IA) says she’s sending a letter to the government accountability office to investigate which waivers the department of energy supported if any.
Farm groups argue the President favors the oil industry over corn growers and with so much uncertainty in agriculture, analysts say this decision could have an affect on Iowa in the upcoming election.
