American Petroleum Institute to pivot from RFS repeal to reform

Source: By Jim Lane, Biofuels Diegest • Posted: Wednesday, March 9, 2016

In Washington, in an interview with POLITICO Pro Energy’s Morning Energy, American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard stipulated that his organization was pivoting its strategy toward reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard rather than continuing to call for an outright repeal. API said his group will target a sunset of the RFS after 2022 or a repeal of just the corn ethanol portion.

Renewable Fuels Association Bob Dinneen commented:

“API claims they are winning and that the RFS no longer holds the political currency it once did. So why are they then changing course? The reason for the change in approach is that API’s narrative on the RFS is a fiction and Jack Gerard knows it. API can’t continue to support repeal of the RFS because Americans want fuel choice, they want to reduce our dependence on petroleum, they want to address global climate change, they want the evolution of our transportation fuel system to continue. They want the RFS. API knows repeal of the RFS will never happen so they need to change course. That’s not winning. That’s recognizing that you have lost.

“It galls Jack Gerard and the API that support for ethanol and the RFS remains strong among consumers and the Congress despite all the money they have thrown at creating their false narrative. Their acknowledgement today that they need to change course is a white flag. They’ve given up. But beware their next move. It too will not be in the best interests of consumers or American energy and environmental policy.”

|