By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive.

In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf asked for the administrator to reduce volumes required under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Wolf did, in his letter, note overall support for the program.

Wolf said the Northeast region of the U.S. would feel "severe economic harm" under current proposed levels because of "the high cost of purchasing RINs [Renewable Identification Numbers] to comply with the RFS."

Wolf added in the letter that because of the increasing costs of RINs, at least two merchant refiners in Pennsylvania now spend more annually on purchasing RINs than they do on payrolls costs. An EPA spokesperson told Waste Dive in an email that the agency would review Wolf's letter and respond through the appropriate channels, but did not offer further specifics.