Franken: EPA May Scale Back Renewable Fuel Cuts

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Sen. Al Franken says the Obama administration may scale back projected cuts to ethanol and other renewable fuels production.

An Environmental Protection Agency proposal for renewable fuel standards would reduce by almost 3 billion gallons the amounts of ethanol and other biofuels blended into gasoline in 2014 than the law requires.

After discussing the proposal with a White House official on Thursday, Franken says he believes the EPA will reduce the size of cuts. He still expects an overall drop in renewable fuel quotas.

The EPA established those quotas after Congress passed energy legislation in 2007, aiming to reduce foreign oil demand and greenhouse gas emissions.

Minnesota is one of the nation's largest ethanol producers. Franken says there is no reason to curtail production of renewable fuels.