TOLEDO, OHIO – More than one hundred refinery workers, labor leaders and elected officials from key battleground states Ohio and Michigan gathered today in Toledo to tell President Trump that bigger biofuel mandates threaten critical refining and manufacturing jobs, and small refinery exemptions (SREs) are essential lifelines for facilities facing hardship due to the mandates. Photos from the rally and quotes from participants, including PBF Energy, the United Steelworkers, and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, are below:
“Refining supports nearly 45,000 jobs in Ohio and Michigan, and 2 million jobs across the country. Today’s rally shows without question that refinery workers, tradespeople and union members oppose biofuel policies that threaten their jobs and communities. If the administration pursues policies being promoted by the ethanol industry — including raising biofuel mandates to unrealistic levels and removing small-refinery hardship waivers — jobs would be at risk, prices could climb, and more foreign biodiesel would displace American-made fuel. These workers and all drivers deserve to have their voices heard.”
— Chet Thompson, President of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers
“We’re united in opposition to biofuel mandates, not to ethanol. Ethanol is important to the fuel supply and all data points to the fact that it will be used with or without the Renewable Fuel Standard. Our Toledo Refinery alone is an economic engine for this region, employing more than 500 people full time and up to 1,200 contractors. The overly aggressive ethanol mandates being considered by the president will send refinery compliance costs through the roof – at our facility and elsewhere – putting domestic refining jobs at risk.”
— Mike Gudgeon, Toledo Refining Company Plant Manager (A PBF Energy Refinery)
“The President has repeatedly said that he’s protecting jobs and the middle class. Those are our jobs. Increasing the RFS obligation goes directly against what President Trump has been claiming he and his administration will do. We just want to do our jobs and continue to be positive influences in the community.”
— Justin Donley, President, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 912
“In these divided times, it’s worth noting that this coalition is as diverse as you will ever find. We have Democrats, Republicans and Independents because this is so critical to all of us. We’re asking the President not to sign off on these ethanol mandates. It will hurt jobs in this region. It will hurt our economy. It will hurt all of it.”
— Mayor of Toledo Wade Kapszukiewicz
President Trump is considering a proposal to increase Renewable Fuel Standard biofuel blending obligations on American refiners. Adding to the mandate, which already costs refiners billions of dollars every year, will threaten refinery jobs and increase reliance on imported biofuels — without helping U.S. farmers or ethanol producers.
Today’s rally echoed recent appeals to President Trump from North America’s Building Trades Union; the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers; the United Association of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry; a coalition of small refineries; top ethanol-producing refineries; and AFPM in partnership with the American Petroleum Institute, which have each asked the President to protect the jobs they represent.
