Why does the American Petroleum Institute oppose the new Senate biofuels legislation?

The American Petroleum Institute (API) opposes the Senate biofuels legislation because it pairs year-round E15 gasoline sales with 'flawed provisions' that automatically grant exemptions from biofuel blending mandates to some small oil refineries—replacing earlier proposals that would have significantly cut those exemptions. API argues the bill weakens America’s fuel supply and fails to deliver the 'balanced approach' it supports: permanent, nationwide year-round E15 access coupled with 'common sense reforms' to the exemption program. According to API’s senior vice president Kristin Whitman, the proposal lacks the long-term certainty needed by consumers, farmers, biofuel producers, and refiners, and API therefore urges Congress to reject it.

What is API’s stated position on E15 gasoline and refinery exemptions?

API supports 'permanent, nationwide year-round E15' but only when paired with 'common sense reforms' to the small-refinery exemption program under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It explicitly rejects the Senate proposal because it replaces meaningful reform with automatic, untargeted exemptions—and introduces a new requirement that companies without exemptions must offset their competitors’ exemptions, which API views as destabilizing to the fuel supply. As stated by Kristin Whitman, API’s opposition stems from the bill’s failure to balance E15 expansion with responsible, predictable adjustments to blending mandates.

American Petroleum Institute Opposes Senate Biofuels Legislation

Aug 2, 2026

The American Petroleum Institute opposes new Senate biofuels legislation expanding higher-ethanol gasoline sales while granting exemptions to small refineries. API argues the proposal weakens America’s fuel supply and urges Congress to reject the flawed provisions.

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American Petroleum Institute Opposes Senate Biofuels Legislation

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