"President Donald Trump presided over a lengthy Oval Office meeting Monday in which he urged officials to soften the impact of recent policy moves that angered Midwestern farm states critical to his re-election.
The Trump administration was stung by criticism over the Environmental Protection Agency’s Aug. 9 decision to give 31 refineries exemptions from annual biofuel-blending requirements -- including Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s assertion that the Trump administration had “screwed” farmers.
Trump suggested rescinding some of the newly granted waivers during the Monday meeting, according to four people familiar with the discussions who asked not to be named describing a private session. Trump was told the waivers may not be reversible, but officials offered other ideas to mitigate the political impact in Iowa, a state he carried in 2016 and needs again in 2020 to win."
Jennifer Jacobs, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and Mario Parker report for Bloomberg August 20, 2019.
SEE ALSO:
"Trump Orders Cabinet To Assuage Farmer Unrest Over Biofuel Policy - Sources" (Reuters)
"Trump EPA Says 'Zero Evidence' Of Biofuel Waivers Hurting Ethanol Producers" (Reuters)
"Air Pollution: Trump Phone Call To Wheeler Interrupts Alaska Hearing" (Greenwire)
"Sen. Chuck Grassley: Trump EPA ‘Screwed’ Farmers With Biofuels Exemptions" (HuffPost)
"Largest Ethanol Maker Closes Indiana Plant, Blames EPA Waivers" (Successful Farming)
"Ethanol Fuel Rule 'Under Attack,' Ernst Says" (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
"Trump's EPA Grants 31 Small Refinery Waivers From Biofuel Laws, Angering Corn Lobby" (Reuters)
"Trump Intervention Triggered EPA's Surprise Biofuel Waiver Decision: Sources" (Reuters)
"Trump Escapes Blame For Ethanol Policy Hurting Corn Farmers" (AP: 7/12/2019)
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