EPA to keep pursuing biofuel changes under new leadership: Wheeler
Source: Reuters
ENVIRONMENT JULY 24, 2018 / 5:21 PM / UPDATED 14 HOURS AGO
EPA to keep pursuing biofuel changes under new leadership: Wheeler
Jarrett Renshaw
5 MIN READ
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acting administrator said on Tuesday he would follow up the work of his predecessor to overhaul the nation’s biofuel policy, including pursuing changes strongly opposed by the powerful corn lobby like counting ethanol exports toward annual biofuels quotas.
The biofuel industry had been hoping that Andrew Wheeler would drop some of former Administrator Scott Pruitt’s overhaul efforts, which were aimed at helping the oil industry, and instead prioritize the interests of farmers in the U.S. heartland to expand domestic markets for corn-based fuel.
Wheeler said the agency was open to changes sought by the biofuel industry, but only if it made concessions too.
“When everyone is complaining about the program, we need to look at ways to change the program,” he said.
The comments at a briefing with reporters were among the first by Wheeler on such policy issues since Pruitt resigned as EPA administrator earlier this month in the face of ethics controversies.
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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-epa-biofuels/epa-to-keep-pursuing-biofuel-changes-under-new-leadership-wheeler-idUSKBN1KE2X6