Thirteen senators, led by Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., have written to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt requesting the agency cease issuing co-called “hardship” waivers exempting obligated parties from the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led the bipartisan group of senators in writing the letter. In addition to ceasing the waivers, the senators ask that Pruitt provide topline information about the waivers already issued, disclose whether or not the agency redistributed the waived volume obligations among the non-exempted obligated parties and outline the agency’s plan to make the waiver process more transparent.

Related: Changes to RFS could result in 'demand destruction’ 

Grassley and Klobuchar were joined by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Debbie Stabenow (R-Mich.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.).

“Recent reports indicate dozens of small refiner waivers have been secretly granted to large, multibillion-dollar companies under the guise of the small refinery hardship exemption provision in section 211(o)(9) of the Clean Air Act. This is extremely concerning to us," the senators wrote.

The senators requested that EPA:

In their letter, the senators cited the confirmation hearing testimony of Pruitt, in which he stated, “Any steps that the EPA Administrator takes need to be done in such a way as to further the objectives of Congress in that statute, not undermine the objectives of Congress in that statute.” The senators also noted Pruitt’s October 2017 letter, in which he stated, “I reiterate my commitment to you and your constituents to act consistent with the text and spirit of the RFS. I take seriously my responsibility to do so in an open and transparent manner that advances the full potential of this program…” 

News reports indicate that EPA has already issued 25 “hardship” waivers to large, multibillion-dollar refining companies making billions of dollars in profits since 2016. The senators state that such action would “represent a clear violation of your commitments and clearly undermine the President’s long-standing support of the RFS.”

Source: Office of U.S. Senator Charles Grassley