Almost a year ago I, along with Senator Amy Klobuchar, wrote to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission asking the agencies to investigate possible anticompetitive practices by oil companies that limit consumers’ access to homegrown renewable fuels. The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department said that they would look into the allegations, but the agencies haven’t responded further.
Fast forward a year. Just last week Senator Klobuchar and I forwarded to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission a comprehensive analysis from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) detailing how some oil companies block the sale of renewable fuels. The report from the RFA found that unbranded or independent stations are roughly four to six times more likely to offer E85 and 40 times more likely to offer E15 than stations carrying a “Big Five” oil brand.
We’re asking the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission to review the RFA report, investigate the claims and findings included in it, and reply with a substantive evaluation of the agencies’ conclusions regarding possible anticompetitive behavior by certain oil companies and any proposed solutions or actions the agencies will take to resolve this issue.
America has mapped out a long-term strategy to pump up competition in the transportation fuels sector, secure innovative cleaner renewable fuels to protect the environment, and boost more domestic oil production to help immunize the economy and consumers from dependency on foreign oil.
Let’s not let big oil spoil the route to greater, cleaner energy independence.