The Biden administration Tuesday slashed its production requirements for ethanol and other biofuels, citing reduced demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Administration officials also moved to deny petitions to exempt small refineries from their obligations under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), saying that they weren’t able to show exemptions were justified under the Clean Air Act. Michael Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which sets ethanol requirements under RFS, said the actions will enable officials “to get the RFS program back in growth mode by setting ambitious levels for 2022 and by reinforcing the foundation of the program so that it’s rooted in science and the law.” “Together, these actions reflect the Biden Administration’s commitment to reset and strengthen the RFS program following years of mismanagement by the previous administration and disruptions to the fuels market stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the EPA said in a news …