DES MOINES, IOWA (April 27, 2021) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller released the following statement after the US Supreme Court arguments in HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining, LLC v Renewable Fuels Association. AG Miller filed an amicus brief March 31 supporting several renewable fuels and agricultural associations in their challenge to the EPA’s award of small-refinery exemptions to the Renewable Fuel Standard.
"Today’s US Supreme Court arguments were critical to Iowa’s renewable-fuel industry and the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The arguments were very interesting, and the justices came prepared on a highly-complex topic. We think we have the stronger argument: That Congress intended to advance renewable fuels, and not freely grant exemptions to small refineries. The plain, common-sense meaning of the statute language prevails, in our opinion.
"The counsel for the biofuels producers cited our amicus brief in response to Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh’s question on the economic impact of this ruling on the biofuels industry. As we noted, the small-refinery exemptions reduced the RFS mandate by an average of 7% each year from 2017 through 2019 — causing more than $2 billion in lost demand for renewable fuel nationally each year. We will find out in June how the justices come down on this important issue to Iowans."
