WASHINGTON – NACS, along with 15 other associations and organizations, signed a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt, urging the agency to hold off on any changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard’s point of obligation. Last month, NACS submitted comments to the agency outlining why the point of obligation should stay the same.
“The undersigned associations represent a diverse and varied set of interests and industries, many of which have significantly different opinions about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program,” the letter stated. “The one issue that brings us all together is our belief that the [EPA] should deny petitions to change the point of obligation for RFS compliance. Our support for the EPA’s proposal to deny the petitions has been individually shared in formal comments to the agency and in public statements as well. However, we believe that this issue is of such significance that we wish to express our collective support for denying the petitions.”
The following organizations all signed the letter sent yesterday to the agency:
- NACS
- The Advanced Biofuels Association
- Advanced Biofuels Business Council
- Association of American Railroads
- American Biogas Council
- American Coalition for Ethanol
- American Highway Users Alliance
- American Petroleum Institute
- American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association
- American Trucking Associaitons
- Biotechnology Innovation Organization
- Growth Energy
- National Tank Truck Carriers
- NATSO
- Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
- SIGMA
The White House said Tuesday that there was no executive order in progress to move the point of obligation, despite rumors to the contrary floating around the industry. Recently, the agency closed a comment period on whether it would deny petitions to shift the point of obligation, but the EPA hasn’t issued a final ruling on the matter.
“This letter demonstrates a strong level of support from a
broad range of stakeholders, all supporting keeping the RFS point of
obligation where it is,” said Paige Anderson, director of government relations
for NACS. “The fact that these organizations, who have very diverse
positions on the RFS, have come together is significant. We hope that
the new EPA administrator appreciates how rare this is and makes no change to
who the obligated party should be.”