America’s biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel producers are responding as asked. Mike Sommers excoriates President Trump and lawmakers for considering a temporary ban on diesel exports (“The Diesel Export Ban Folly,” op-ed, Sept. 25). But in the same breath, he proposes an even more disastrous policy: undermining the renewable fuel standard.
The world is facing an energy supply shock, so it’s no surprise that U.S. distillate exports have climbed 30% since the first months of 2026. But U.S. demand for distillate fuels hasn’t changed even as on-road prices for diesel have increased by more than $2.60. And as farmers begin this year’s harvest and Northeast states prepare for winter, the demand for distillates will grow.
When President Trump announced the renewable fuel standards in March, he explicitly stated the purpose was to “generate over $10 billion of rural economic benefit, create an estimated 100,000 new jobs, and massively increase our nation’s energy supply.” Clean fuels companies built 7 billion gallons of capacity for renewable diesel and biodiesel—enough to meet 10% of U.S. distillate demand—and since March have added production capacity.
While an export ban has many theoretical unintended consequences, backtracking on Renewable Fuel Standards volumes is certain to undercut investments in rural America and increase fuel prices at the pump. The Environmental Protection Agency’s and Department of Energy’s recent decision to increase small refinery exemptions proves it. The agencies exempted 13.4 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from the program. But that did nothing to spur investment in petroleum capacity, and pump prices have climbed even higher in the last month. President Trump promised never to waver “in putting American farmers, American families, and the American people first.” Upholding the renewable fuel standards, restoring the recently exempted volumes and supporting rural investment in additional renewable diesel and biodiesel capacity is the best response to the diesel supply shock.