Perdue: Trump Holding Tough on Biofuel Policy

President Donald Trump has "hung tough" on U.S. biofuel policy as various interests have tried to push several policies that could negatively impact the biofuel mandates, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said in Nebraska last week."He has been a real stalwart," Perdue stated. One focal point has been the liberal use of waivers of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations for small refiners, and Perdue noted that the deal brokered by the White House has called on EPA to reallocate those waived obligations to other refiners.The prospect of allowing exported ethanol to count toward RFS obligations is one that Perdue labeled acceptable as it will drive demand and will come in concert with the reallocation of waivers, "making sure we reallocate those waived gallons for the future," Perdue said. He indicated the waivers would be "reallocated in the next volume obligation."EPA is expected to announce their proposal on 2019 biofuel (2020 biodiesel) Renewable Volume Obligations in late June or early July. It is currently under review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).