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Ethanol leader wants Trump’s “one federal decision” policy expanded

President Trump, during a speech in Atlanta Wednesday, announced a new infrastructure policy, which includes streamlining the paperwork with one federal approval within two years.

During his speech at the UPS Hapeville Airport Hub in Atlanta, Georgia Wednesday, President Trump said, “One federal decision. Before, applicants for infrastructure permits were forced to spend years and years navigating a labyrinth of federal agencies, and every single one had a power to stop a project.”

Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield he is hoping President Trump expands his “one federal decision” policy beyond infrastructure projects, and he uses the ethanol industry’s concern for Small Refinery Waivers as an example. Cooper says, “Having a role for both DOE (Department of Energy) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in this Small Refinery Exemption process allows each agency to point the finger at one another for delays and discrepancies in the process, so yeah, one federal decision would be quite helpful in that process.”

Cooper says there are numerous times when his industry has to wait for regulatory decisions from multiple agencies, which creates delays and other problems.