ARLINGTON, VA (December 5, 2013) – Today, Mark Borer, General Manager at POET Biorefining – Leipsic, will testify at a public Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing in defense of renewable biofuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard. This hearing was announced in response to the EPA’s proposed lower Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) numbers for 2014.

“If the Administration moves forward with this proposal, every American and every Ohio driver will feel more pain at the pump,” said Borer, who will testify on behalf of the Ohio Ethanol Producers Association. “The intent of the Renewable Fuel Standard is to give consumers more choice at the gas pump and to put renewable fuels on a level-playing field with the oil industry. Any movement away from this intent is not what consumers are looking for and it will prevent the next round of advanced biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol, from coming to states like Ohio.”

The ethanol industry in Ohio supports 13,000 direct and indirect jobs and has invested $2.6 billion into state ethanol infrastructure since 2008. Ethanol operations in Ohio produce an estimated $433 million in economic output annually.

During his testimony, Mr. Borer will state: “This change of direction will have a direct and immediate impact on the industry and will put at risk approximately $1 billion in capital investment made in Ohio since 2007 to meet established and legislated RFS obligations. Ultimately, the EPA’s renewable fuels commitment reversal risks all of Ohio’s 300-plus direct employees and more than 1500 indirect jobs.”

For a full transcript of Mr. Borer’s comments, please visit poet.com/testimony.

About POET

POET, one of the world’s largest ethanol producers, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 25-year-old company has a production capacity in excess of 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol and 9 billion pounds of high-protein animal feed annually from its network of 27 production facilities. POET also operates a pilot-scale cellulosic bio-ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk as feedstock, and expects to commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa through its joint venture with DSM. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.