ACE asks government officials to help expedite E15 rulemaking
American Coalition for Ethanol
October 25, 2018
BY American Coalition for Ethanol
The American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings attended a roundtable discussion in Chancellor, South Dakota, today with the USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, along with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., and other ethanol and corn grower representation, to discuss the rollout of a rule to allow the sale of E15 year-round. This follows President Donald Trump’s decision to extend Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief to E15 by instructing the U.S. EPA to initiate a rulemaking process in Iowa over two weeks ago. Below is a statement from Jennings:
“As we stated a few weeks back, ACE is sincerely grateful the president has directed EPA to issue a rule allowing E15 access to the market year-round, and we’re appreciative of the leadership Secretary Perdue and Senator Rounds demonstrated in urging the president to tee-up the E15 rulemaking process. Now, it’s up to EPA to drive it home before the 2019 summer driving season begins.
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“As Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said this week, EPA bureaucrats already appear to be slow-walking the rule, which raises doubts it can be done by June 1. While ACE members are grateful Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler clarified EPA has the legal authority to move forward on E15 year-round without Congress, waiting for a proposed rule until February falls short of our expectations and I encouraged Senator Rounds and Secretary Perdue in the meeting today to join Senator Grassley in pressing the White House to insist EPA puts a rule out for public comment sooner than this timeframe.
“Oil refiners are already threatening to sue over RVP relief for E15 despite the fact EPA has yet to publish the rule for public comment, coupling it with renewable identification number (RIN) transparency reforms will only complicate and prolong the rulemaking process. We cannot accept EPA slow-walking the process after the president made such a big splash announcing it for rural America, particularly our farmers who are hurting from low corn prices.
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“ACE will continue to work with EPA to develop a legally-defensible approach, while encouraging the Agency to move the rulemaking process forward in a timelier manner.”
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