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Ethanol producers and farm-state leaders blasted a Trump administration proposal that would force refiners to blend more biofuel into petroleum next year, arguing the modest planned increase is undercut by EPA waivers exempting refineries from the mandate

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed increasing the mandated volume of biomass-based diesel by 330 million gallons for 2020, from a static volume of 2.1 billion gallons in 2018 and 2019, to 2.43 billion gallons in 2020.

A day after a tentative agreement to overhaul U.S. biofuel policy appeared to collapse amid farm-state concerns, EPA chief Scott Pruitt met to discuss the issue with the lead senator pushing for the changes: Ted Cruz.

A tentative deal on U.S. biofuel policy struck at the White House would allow year-round sales of higher-ethanol gasoline in exchange for possible policy changes to rein in compliance costs for refiners.

Thirteen Corn Belt senators, led by Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, have petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop issuing waivers that exempt certain oil refineries from federal biofuel laws.

Donald Trump’s meeting with senators warring over the future of a program designed to boost biofuels ended without a breakthrough Feb. 27, prolonging a clash that could undermine the president’s political appeal in Pennsylvania and Iowa.

Despite pressure from biodiesel producers to require greater minimum production levels of biomass-based diesel, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has stuck to its proposed plan to maintain the 2018 level of 2.1 billion gallons for 2019.

President Donald Trump will confront the conflict between farm-state and oil-state Republicans over renewable fuel standards as he meets Dec. 7 with Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a leading critic of requirements for ethanol use, and other Republican lawmakers.

The state’s standard for the biodiesel blend will double to 20% at gas pumps next May, a decision that displeased trucking industry advocates.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture officials have rejected a request by the state’s trucking association to delay a plan to increase the mix of biofuel to 20% of all diesel sold in the state beginning May 1.