Growth Energy Denounces Efforts to Rewrite RFS

Growth Energy condemed the effort of Carl Icahn (Eye’-kahn), the owner of CVR Refining, to strike a backroom deal with the Renewable Fuels Association that would change the Renewable Fuels Standard by shifting the point of obligation from refiners to fuel retailers. Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, said, “If this is true, this proposal would undo all of America’s progress under the RFS and impose massive costs on consumers.” She says both sides in that “deal” don’t have the authority to come to an agreement. “Mr. Icahn doesn’t work for the government, but instead owns CVR Refining, which would profit directly from such a deal. The RFA also doesn’t represent a majority in the biofuels industry. Their largest member is a refiner that would also profit from the deal,” Skor said. She says both of those companies are negotiating for the same side, which Skor says isn’t the American farmer or the ethanol industry. “In exchange for his company getting a waiver from its responsibility,” Skor said, “Mr. Icahn promised support for a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s a change that already has strong bipartisan support as a common sense solution to increase summer sales of higher ethanol blends.” However, a Twitter post from Amy Harder of the Wall Street Journal said the White House denies those comments by Dineen, as a White House Spokewoman says no executive order on ethanol exists.