Axne, Finkeauer announce GAO investigation of small refinery waivers

Two freshmen Democrats from Iowa — Rep. Cindy Axne and Rep. Abby Finkenauer — announced Monday that the Government Accountability Office will agree to a request from the House Biofuels Caucus to investigate the Environmental Protection Agency’s use of the small refinery waivers related to the Renewable Fuel Standard.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., also signed the letter to the comptroller general asking for the study.

“Year after year, this administration has let Iowans down by issuing an unprecedented number of small refinery exemptions,” Axne said in a news release. “These exemptions are a handout to big oil at the expense of ethanol producers and Iowa farmers. I am pleased that the GAO will conduct an investigation of the EPA’s handling of these exemptions.”