The Environmental Protection Agency is taking more time to reply to a federal court ruling against Small Refinery Exemptions.
The EPA Friday filed an extension to the Justice Department to grant the agency an additional 15 days to respond to the ruling.
The request pushes the deadline to March 24, according to Politico.
The Trump administration now plans to appeal the ruling that struck down three waivers granted back in January.
The ruling could significantly narrow the scope of allowed waivers. An appeal would be upsetting to ethanol and corn groups.
An effort to sway the White House to appeal the rule, led by Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, is seen as a “misinformation campaign,” according to Growth Energy.
In a joint statement by farm groups, including Growth Energy, they state, “The president needs to understand that Ted Cruz doesn’t care about this administration or families across the heartland who are counting on the White House to keep its promises.”
