News

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President & CEO Chet Thompson today issued the following statement on the recent hiring of Aaron Ringel as Vice President of Government Relations: “We are glad to welcome Aaron and immediately put him to work on behalf of AFPM’s members from the refining, petrochemical and midstream energy industries..."

AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson this week submitted comments to leaders of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee after the Committee’s inaugural hearing on the state of U.S. transportation infrastructure and supply chains failed to include customer perspectives.

AFPM Senior Director of Fuels and Vehicle Policy, Patrick Kelly, testified during the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) public hearing on the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) “Set” Rule. EPA’s proposal will stifle advanced biofuels, promote first generation biofuels beyond the market’s ability to absorb them and shift overall RFS growth away from liquid biofuels and into the power electricity sector. This is completely contrary to how congress envisioned EPA’s handling of the program.

Rob Benedict, AFPM’s Vice President of Midstream and Petrochemicals, issued the following statement after Congress passed, and President Biden signed, a resolution to avoid a nationwide rail strike.

AFPM's Geoff Moody issued the following statement responding to the EPA's 2023-2025 proposal for RFS blending obligations: “Congress provided EPA the ability to modernize the RFS and set it on a more sustainable course for all stakeholders. Sadly, EPA’s proposal is a missed opportunity..."

On Tuesday, November 29th AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging their immediate intervention to avoid a rail worker strike. Thompson stressed that time is of the essence since shipping embargos and service curtailments capable of disrupting U.S. manufacturing, fuel production and freight deliveries are starting now, well before a December 9 work stoppage. A copy of AFPM’s letter is available here and excerpts can be found below:

Restricting exports would be a major unforced error for the President, tightening global fuel supplies, throttling U.S. fuel production and increasing costs for American consumers. Likewise, imposing product inventory requirements boils down to siphoning gasoline and diesel into storage, and away from consumers.

AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson issued the following statement regarding President Biden’s suggestion that a Windfall Profit Tax should be considered to address fuel supplies and prices: “Once again, the President is more worried about political posturing before the Midterms than he is about advancing energy policies that will actually deliver for the American people."

Earnings in commodities-based industries tend to be cyclical. Because of the up-and-down reality of refining, it would be a mistake to regulate or legislate based on the high points. A few quarters of earnings don’t provide an accurate representation. That context is important for answering the question of what happens with refinery profits and whether using earnings to “buy back” stock from shareholders is an appropriate use of those funds.