The bipartisan House Biofuels Caucus has called on President Trump to “direct EPA to immediately reject any pending waiver requests that do not meet the criteria established in Tenth Circuit Court’s decision,” according to a letter forwarded to the White House Tuesday evening. The Renewable Fuels Association thanked the 23 House Members for their quick action in a week that has seen rumors that outgoing Administrator Andrew Wheeler may grant more illegal exemptions at the last minute.

“We thank these House Members for their bipartisan action this week to help protect and defend the Renewable Fuel Standard,”  said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “With the Trump administration now its final days, we call on all renewable fuel champions to speak up loudly and clearly in defense of the RFS. The stakes are high for the health of rural America, as well as our nation’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and confront climate change.”

The news of EPA potentially granting last-minute waivers “arrives at the worst time possible as the biofuels industry continues to reel from the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the lawmakers write. “These exemptions, coming on top of 85 waivers already granted by EPA over the past four years, would also cause immense and unnecessary strain to businesses that are desperately trying to keep workers on the payroll.”