A group of farm organizations expresses disappointment over the Trump Administration contemplating an appeal to a court ruling striking down three small refinery waivers.
The petitioners in the case—the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition for Ethanol, and National Farmers Union, say, “the Administration has opted to kick the can on deciding whether to appeal the court decision.”
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit approved requests by the Department of Justice for an extension of the deadline to file motions asking for a rehearing. The new deadline for requesting a rehearing is March 24.
The Court found the Environmental Protection Agency vastly exceeded its authority in granting compliance exemptions to three refineries from 2016 and 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard obligations.
The farm groups say the delay “just prolongs uncertainty in the marketplace and stokes more angst and frustration in farm country.”
They say rural America would view an appeal by the Administration as a “senseless poke in the eye.”