EPA abandons changes to U.S. biofuel program after lawmaker pressureNEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has backed off a series of proposed changes to the nation’s biofuels policy after a massive backlash from corn-state lawmakers worried the moves would undercut ethanol demand, according to a letter from the agency to lawmakers seen by Reuters. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in the letter dated Oct. 19 that the agency will keep renewable fuel volume mandates for next year at or above proposed levels, reversing a previous move to open the door to cuts.  The move marks a big win for the biofuels industry and lawmakers from corn-states like Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois, while dealing a blow to merchant refiners like PBF Energy Inc and Valero Energy Corp who hoped the administration of President Donald Trump would help provide regulatory relief. The White House issued a statement hours after the Pruitt letter was delivered to lawmakers expressing the president’s support for maintaining the renewable fuel plan.  “President Donald J. Trump promised rural America that he would protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and has never wavered from that promise,” the White House statement said. Trump’s second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses in early 2016 gave credibility to his candidacy and he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state in the Nov. 8 election. It was the first time a Republican had won Iowa since George W. Bush in 2004 and provided Trump a key takeaway. The letter could end uncertainty about the future of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard that has roiled commodity and energy markets for months. The program, which requires refineries to blend increasing amounts of ethanol and other biofuels into the nation’s fuel supply or buy credits from those who do, appeared on the verge of a massive overhaul. The most popular form of program credits hit two-month highs on Friday on the EPA news, traders said..  The so-called D6 credits sunk to 68 cents last month as EPA considered cost-cutting measures, but prices have rebounded in recent weeks and approached 90 cents on Friday, traders said. Pruitt said the EPA would not pursue another idea floated by EPA leadership that would have allowed exported ethanol to be counted toward those volume quotas. Pruitt also said the EPA did not believe a proposal to shift the biofuels blending obligation away from refiners was appropriate. That plan is backed by representatives of a handful of independent refining companies who have warned the cost of the program will bankrupt plants and cost thousands of jobs. Those ideas would have eased the burden on some in the refining industry, who have argued that biofuels compete with petroleum, and that the blending responsibility costs them hundreds of millions of dollars a year. But Midwestern lawmakers, including Republicans Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst, had vocally opposed all those ideas, calling them a betrayal of the administration’s promises to support the corn belt. They were concerned the moves would undercut domestic demand for ethanol, a key industry in the region that has supported corn growers.  “It’s a great day for Iowa and a great day for rural America. Administrator Pruitt should be commended for following through on President Trump’s commitment to biofuels,” Grassley said in a statement. In the letter, Pruitt said the EPA was prepared to work with Congress to examine the possibility of a waiver that would allow the sale of E15 gasoline, containing 15 percent ethanol, year-round - something currently not permitted during the summer due to concerns about smog. Renewable Fuels Association President and Chief Executive Bob Dinneen said in a response to the letter on Friday morning that the U.S. ethanol industry was “grateful for Administrator Pruitt’s epiphany on the road to the RFS.”  The program disproportionately hurts mid-sized refiners and mom-and-pop gas stations that are the backbone of the nation’s energy infrastructure and needs to reformed, said Greg Blair, a spokesman for the Fueling American Jobs Coalition, a group of merchant refiners formed to seek changes in the program. “If the administration follows the course set out in Administrator Pruitt’s letter, manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania, Ohio and other states – jobs President Trump promised to protect – will be at risk,” Blair said. politicsNews
epa abandons changes biofuel program lawmaker pressurenew york reuters the environmental protection agency backed series proposed changes nation biofuels policy massive backlash lawmakers worried moves would undercut ethanol demand according letter agency lawmakers seen reuters epa administrator scott print said letter dated agency keep renewable fuel volume mandates next year proposed levels reversing previous move open door cuts the move marks big win biofuels industry lawmakers like iowa nebraska illinois dealing blow merchant refinery like pdf energy inc alert energy corp hoped administration president donald trump would help provide regulatory relief the white house issued statement hours print letter delivered lawmakers expressing president support maintaining renewable fuel plan president donald trump promised rural america would protect renewable fuel standard rfs never watered promise white house statement said trump finish iowa caucuses early gave credibility candidacy defeated democrat hillary clinton state election it first time republican iowa since george bush provided trump key takeaway the letter could end uncertainty future renewable fuel standard rolled commodity energy markets months the program requires refineries blend increasing amounts ethanol biofuels nation fuel supply buy credits appeared verge massive overhaul the popular form program credits hit highs friday epa news traders said the credits sunk cents last month epa considered measures prices rebounded recent weeks approached cents friday traders said print said epa would pursue another idea floated epa leadership would allowed exported ethanol counted toward volume quotas print also said epa believe proposal shift biofuels blending obligation away refinery appropriate that plan backed representatives handful independent refining companies warned cost program bankrupt plants cost thousands jobs those ideas would eased burden refining industry argued biofuels compete petroleum blending responsibility costs hundreds millions dollars year but midwestern lawmakers including republicans charles grasses join ernst vocally opposed ideas calling betrayal administration promises support corn belt they concerned moves would undercut domestic demand ethanol key industry region supported corn growers it great day iowa great day rural america administrator print commended following president trump commitment biofuels grasses said statement in letter print said epa prepared work congress examine possibility waiver would allow sale gasoline containing percent ethanol something currently permitted summer due concerns smog renewable fuels association president chief executive bob dinner said response letter friday morning ethanol industry grateful administrator print epiphany road the program disproportionately hurts refinery gas stations backbone nation energy infrastructure needs reformed said greg blair spokesman fueling american jobs coalition group merchant refinery formed seek changes program if administration follows course set administrator print letter manufacturing jobs pennsylvania ohio states jobs president trump promised protect risk blair said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: EPA abandons changes to U.S. biofuel program after lawmaker pressureNEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has backed off a series of proposed changes to the nation’s biofuels policy after a massive backlash from corn-state lawmakers worried the moves would undercut ethanol demand, according to a letter from the agency to lawmakers seen by Reuters. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in the letter dated Oct. 19 that the agency will keep renewable fuel volume mandates for next year at or above proposed levels, reversing a previous move to open the door to cuts.  The move marks a big win for the biofuels industry and lawmakers from corn-states like Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois, while dealing a blow to merchant refiners like PBF Energy Inc and Valero Energy Corp who hoped the administration of President Donald Trump would help provide regulatory relief. The White House issued a statement hours after the Pruitt letter was delivered to lawmakers expressing the president’s support for maintaining the renewable fuel plan.  “President Donald J. Trump promised rural America that he would protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and has never wavered from that promise,” the White House statement said. Trump’s second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses in early 2016 gave credibility to his candidacy and he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the state in the Nov. 8 election. It was the first time a Republican had won Iowa since George W. Bush in 2004 and provided Trump a key takeaway. The letter could end uncertainty about the future of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard that has roiled commodity and energy markets for months. The program, which requires refineries to blend increasing amounts of ethanol and other biofuels into the nation’s fuel supply or buy credits from those who do, appeared on the verge of a massive overhaul. The most popular form of program credits hit two-month highs on Friday on the EPA news, traders said..  The so-called D6 credits sunk to 68 cents last month as EPA considered cost-cutting measures, but prices have rebounded in recent weeks and approached 90 cents on Friday, traders said. Pruitt said the EPA would not pursue another idea floated by EPA leadership that would have allowed exported ethanol to be counted toward those volume quotas. Pruitt also said the EPA did not believe a proposal to shift the biofuels blending obligation away from refiners was appropriate. That plan is backed by representatives of a handful of independent refining companies who have warned the cost of the program will bankrupt plants and cost thousands of jobs. Those ideas would have eased the burden on some in the refining industry, who have argued that biofuels compete with petroleum, and that the blending responsibility costs them hundreds of millions of dollars a year. But Midwestern lawmakers, including Republicans Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst, had vocally opposed all those ideas, calling them a betrayal of the administration’s promises to support the corn belt. They were concerned the moves would undercut domestic demand for ethanol, a key industry in the region that has supported corn growers.  “It’s a great day for Iowa and a great day for rural America. Administrator Pruitt should be commended for following through on President Trump’s commitment to biofuels,” Grassley said in a statement. In the letter, Pruitt said the EPA was prepared to work with Congress to examine the possibility of a waiver that would allow the sale of E15 gasoline, containing 15 percent ethanol, year-round - something currently not permitted during the summer due to concerns about smog. Renewable Fuels Association President and Chief Executive Bob Dinneen said in a response to the letter on Friday morning that the U.S. ethanol industry was “grateful for Administrator Pruitt’s epiphany on the road to the RFS.”  The program disproportionately hurts mid-sized refiners and mom-and-pop gas stations that are the backbone of the nation’s energy infrastructure and needs to reformed, said Greg Blair, a spokesman for the Fueling American Jobs Coalition, a group of merchant refiners formed to seek changes in the program. “If the administration follows the course set out in Administrator Pruitt’s letter, manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania, Ohio and other states – jobs President Trump promised to protect – will be at risk,” Blair said. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: epa abandons changes biofuel program lawmaker pressurenew york reuters the environmental protection agency backed series proposed changes nation biofuels policy massive backlash lawmakers worried moves would undercut ethanol demand according letter agency lawmakers seen reuters epa administrator scott print said letter dated agency keep renewable fuel volume mandates next year proposed levels reversing previous move open door cuts the move marks big win biofuels industry lawmakers like iowa nebraska illinois dealing blow merchant refinery like pdf energy inc alert energy corp hoped administration president donald trump would help provide regulatory relief the white house issued statement hours print letter delivered lawmakers expressing president support maintaining renewable fuel plan president donald trump promised rural america would protect renewable fuel standard rfs never watered promise white house statement said trump finish iowa caucuses early gave credibility candidacy defeated democrat hillary clinton state election it first time republican iowa since george bush provided trump key takeaway the letter could end uncertainty future renewable fuel standard rolled commodity energy markets months the program requires refineries blend increasing amounts ethanol biofuels nation fuel supply buy credits appeared verge massive overhaul the popular form program credits hit highs friday epa news traders said the credits sunk cents last month epa considered measures prices rebounded recent weeks approached cents friday traders said print said epa would pursue another idea floated epa leadership would allowed exported ethanol counted toward volume quotas print also said epa believe proposal shift biofuels blending obligation away refinery appropriate that plan backed representatives handful independent refining companies warned cost program bankrupt plants cost thousands jobs those ideas would eased burden refining industry argued biofuels compete petroleum blending responsibility costs hundreds millions dollars year but midwestern lawmakers including republicans charles grasses join ernst vocally opposed ideas calling betrayal administration promises support corn belt they concerned moves would undercut domestic demand ethanol key industry region supported corn growers it great day iowa great day rural america administrator print commended following president trump commitment biofuels grasses said statement in letter print said epa prepared work congress examine possibility waiver would allow sale gasoline containing percent ethanol something currently permitted summer due concerns smog renewable fuels association president chief executive bob dinner said response letter friday morning ethanol industry grateful administrator print epiphany road the program disproportionately hurts refinery gas stations backbone nation energy infrastructure needs reformed said greg blair spokesman fueling american jobs coalition group merchant refinery formed seek changes program if administration follows course set administrator print letter manufacturing jobs pennsylvania ohio states jobs president trump promised protect risk blair said politicsnews