EPA Administrator Pruitt fielded questions at a hearing before the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, entitled “The Mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”

During the question and answer portion of the hearing, some of the Subcommittee members raised questions regarding the RFS. Rep. Green (D.-Tex.) asked if EPA would limit the ethanol portion of the program to 9.7% of the gasoline pool, which has been a request of the refining industry, and Rep. Olson (R.-Tex.) asserted EPA had “leeway” moving forward until Congress may act. Rep. Loebsack (D.-Iowa) asked Administrator Pruitt about the cellulosic volume for 2018, which he noted was still less than what was finalized for 2017.

Pruitt's responses gave no indication of any potential actions beyond that EPA is monitoring and concerned with issues raised by Subcommittee Members. He did note, in response to a question, that EPA has begun its analysis of the environmental impacts of the RFS program, which is required by statute and the prior Administration had agreed to complete.