Andrew Wheeler
Governor Kim Reynolds says she plans to focus her lobbying efforts on the EPA to change their policy to fulfill the promise made by the president on the amount of ethanol and biodiesel that should be used to make up for waivers given small refineries. Fellow Republican, Senator Joni Ernst, says the president has told the EPA to make sure the promise is kept.
“If we get to a point where the EPA is not following through on what the president has directed them to do — then we will have to hold them accountable,” according to Ernst. She says she will put the focus on EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.
“If we don’t see that result — that 15 billion gallons — than I am ready to call for the resignation of Andrew Wheeler,” Ernst says.
She says she’ll lobby the president on the issue of the EPA won’t listen. “Let’s make sure this gets done and if not, we’re going back to the president and say ‘Andrew Wheeler is the one who is not following through with your commitment to farmers — you need to get rid of him’,” Ernst says.
Those in the biofuels industry say up to 400 jobs at Iowa plants are at stake if the EPA’s doesn’t follow through. Four plants in Iowa have already temporarily shut down.