ALBIA, IOWA (May 31, 2019) — Today, the Administration announced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed a rule to allow for year-round sale of E15 — a fuel made with 15-percent renewable ethanol. E15 was a major campaign promise from then-candidate Trump who assured rural Americans he would expand on biofuel investments. Unfortunately, the President has done the opposite and provided “small refinery” exemptions to oil and gas companies of any size, even for Exxon and Chevron. After the Administration lied to Congress about the rationale, Reuters reported that EPA made it a policy to give refineries a pass on ethanol in an attempt to further increase oil and gas profits. “The E15 announcement is a charade,” said Focus on Rural America Chair & former Lt. Governor Judge. “This is President Trump’s typical bait-and-switch. He is trying to distract the public from the struggles rural economies are facing thanks to him. So far, the Trump waivers for oil and gas companies have exempted 2.6 billion gallons of our auto-fuel supply from ethanol-blending. We should not be taking a pass on ethanol, which supports rural economies across the Midwest and emits 43-percent less greenhouse-gas compared to traditional gasoline. “It is absolutely shameful that, on top of the income declines producers are facing because of severe weather and Trump’s trade war, rural Americans must be hit again with these waivers. The allowance for year-round E15 is a critical step forward for the industry, but it won’t mean much until these waivers for oil and gas are stopped. I encourage the Democrats running for President, and others, to join me in calling on Trump to end the waivers and give the E15 rule a chance to do some good.” Small refinery-waivers are the latest trend in Trump oil and gas give-a-ways. The blanket-pass on blending low-carbon renewable fuels undercuts the year-round E15 rule by lowering the annual blending volumes established under the Renewable Fuels Standard. To date, Trump has not denied a single waiver request.
Focus on Rural America is a nonprofit organization aimed at boosting progressive causes and organizations by developing and promoting economic messages that resonate in rural America.
