WASHINGTON DC (May 16, 2019) — Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley of Iowa, a family farmer, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today released the following statement regarding reports that EPA “made it easier for oil refineries to get waivers from the nation’s biofuel law at least four months before a 2017 court decision it often cites to justify the move to the corn lobby, and the move was motivated by a desire to save the oil industry money.”
“EPA repeatedly told Congress its hands were tied and blamed the courts. That appears to have been a lie. EPA also said it was following Department of Energy recommendations. We also know that’s bunk. I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” Sen Grassley said. “I’ve asked EPA more times than I can count about how it makes its decisions to grant exemptions, and now that its excuses have turned out to be untrue, I’m going to demand answers. Hardship-waivers should be the exception, not the rule. Executive-branch agencies don’t make law, they implement law as intended by Congress. Former Administrator [Scott] Pruitt’s use of the waiver process as a backdoor means to help the entire oil industry is in direct violation of a plain reading of the law. Congress has a clear oversight responsibility to see that EPA implements the law as intended. The time for stonewalling is over. After two years of dishonesty, Midwest farmers and biofuels workers deserve the truth.”
