Rex American (RX3) Risk Analysis

The renewable fuel standard program was authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and was expanded under the EISA. EISA increased the amount of renewable fuel required to be blended into gasoline with RFS II and required a minimum usage of corn-derived renewable fuels of 12.0 billion gallons in 2010, increasing annually by 600 million gallons to 15.0 billion gallons in 2015 through 2022, with no specified volume subsequent to 2022. After 2022, RFS volumes are to be determined by the EPA in coordination with the Secretaries of Energy and Agriculture. The EPA has the authority to assign the mandated amounts of renewable fuels to be blended into transportation fuel to individual fuel blenders. RFS II has been a primary factor in the growth of ethanol usage. Over the past several years various pieces of legislation have been introduced to the U.S. Congress that were intended to reduce or eliminate ethanol blending requirements. To date, none of the bills have been successful but they are an indication of the continued effort to undermine the EISA. The EPA has set conventional renewable fuel volumes of 15.0 billion gallons for 2023 through 2025. Additionally, for 2023, the EPA restored 250 million gallons previously waived. On March 27, 2026, the EPA issued RVOs for 2026 and 2027 of 15.0 billion gallons of conventional ethanol for each year. Obligated parties use RINs to show compliance with RFS-mandated volumes. RINs are attached to renewable fuels by producers and detached when the renewable fuel is blended with transportation fuel or traded in the open market. The market price of detached RINs affects the price of ethanol in certain markets and influences the purchasing decisions by obligated parties. As a result of fluctuations in RINs pricing, certain obligated parties have petitioned the EPA and filed court actions to change the point of obligation or to seek relief from their obligation. The EPA has the authority to waive the biofuel mandate, in whole or in part, if there is inadequate domestic renewable fuel supply or the requirement severely harms the domestic economy or environment. In addition, under RFS II, a small refiner that processes fewer than 75,000 barrels of oil per day can petition the EPA for a waiver of their requirement to submit RINs. The EPA, through consultation with the United States Department of Energy and the USDA, can grant the refiner a full or partial waiver, or deny the waiver. The waiving of a refiner's obligation effectively lowers the amount of renewable fuels required to be blended, and by extension the amount of RINs that need to be retired, which can impact their values and ultimately blending levels of renewable fuels. There are multiple ongoing legal challenges to how the EPA has handled SREs and RFS rulemaking. On August 22, 2025, the EPA ruled on much of the backlog of SREs, issuing 63 full exemptions, 77 partial exemptions of 50%, 28 denials and 7 ruled as ineligible. On November 7, 2025, the EPA issued two 100% waivers, twelve 50% waivers and two denials. As of March 19, 2026, there were 37 SRE petitions pending from compliance years 2023-2025. Flexible fuel vehicles ("FFVs") receive preferential treatment in meeting federally mandated corporate average fuel economy ("CAFE") standards for automobiles manufactured by car makers. High blend ethanol fuels such as E-85 result in lower fuel efficiencies. Absent the CAFE preferences, car makers would not likely build flexible-fuel vehicles. In recent years, automobile manufactures have lowered the production of FFVs for the U.S. Any change in CAFE preferences could reduce the growth of E-85 markets and result in lower ethanol prices. Unfavorable changes in legislation or regulations could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial position.