On January 5, 2016, the American Petroleum Institute (API) released its annual State of American Energy 2016 report while emphasizing a need to either amend or repeal EPA’s RFS and a need to promote energy infrastructure development.  Jack Gerard, API President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), spoke at API’s Sixth Annual State of American Energy event stating the RFS is a “relic of our nation's era of energy dependency that poses a direct threat to our nation's economy, risks reversal of important environmental improvements and could raise energy costs for American consumers.”  Gerard continued, stating that there is a need for new energy infrastructure over the next decade, which could bring in over $1 trillion in investment and support more than 1 million jobs.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen spoke out against API’s statements, stating:  “The fact is our nation needs domestically-produced clean burning renewable fuels now more than ever.  Ethanol plants strengthen communities, they do not abandon them.  Ethanol jobs are as stable and renewable as the fuel itself.”  Growth Energy has also released a statement rebutting API’s comments, with co-chair Tom Buis stating:  “While oil companies talk about the future of energy in this country, they seem fixated on a finite resource and fail to acknowledge that renewable fuels play a critical role in meeting the nation’s growing energy needs.”

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