Reuters exclusively reports EPA granted full biofuel waivers to refineries despite Energy Department advice

Reuters reported exclusively that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted some refineries full waivers from biofuels regulation for the 2018 compliance year, even though the Department of Energy had recommended partial exemptions. According to an EPA memo seen by Reuters, the decision upset the powerful U.S. corn lobby, already angry at the Trump administration’s move in August to grant 31 full exemptions to refineries, freeing them from an at-times costly obligation to use biofuels such as corn-based ethanol.