ARLINGTON, VA (December 5, 2013) – Today, Steve Pittman, General Manager at POET Biorefining – North Manchester, 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 will feel more pain at the pump,” said Pittman, who will testify on behalf of the Indiana Ethanol Producers Association. “Taking momentum away from the renewable fuel industry while empowering oil companies is not the solution consumers are looking for. Moving backwards from the 2013 numbers only hinders advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, and will prevent such technologies from coming to states like Indiana.”

The ethanol industry in Indiana has created 3,575 full-time jobs and has generated $3.4 billion of annual economic activity. The industry increases household and farmer income by $257 million per year and contributes $520 million to the state’s Gross State Product annually.

During his testimony, Mr. Pittman will state: “Will my grandsons have to leave this great country and go to protect our oil interests in the Middle East – putting their lives on the line – when we have the answer to energy independence right under our noses but just did not have the courage to do the right thing? The next time you pick up a grandchild, listen to them. They deserve better from us. And I plan to fight to see that they get that chance to be heard.”

For a full transcript of Mr. Pittman’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.