News
Separating fact from fiction as White House considers RFS changes
Seven White House meetings to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard in recent months have ethanol groups working hard to separate fact from fiction.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says speculation follows every gathering between the Trump Administration and Senators on both sides of the RFS issue.
“Every time there has been a meeting at the White House, there is a lot of speculation and misinformation. And everybody is trying to spin one way or the other.”
She’s confident some good will come out of these meetings.
“What we know right now is that the President has pledged to year-round sales of E15. That is something he wants to see happen, he wants it to happen absolutely.”
But, Skor is concerned President Trump is looking to cut a deal.
“You don’t have to have a give for both sides, and I think that sometimes is the President’s attitude towards this conversation. So that’s what we’re spending a lot of our time saying if you want to do right by the American rural economy, give American consumers year-round access to E15.”
The President is said to be considering allowing ethanol exports to qualify for RINs in exchange for year-round E15 access. Politico reports the White House is preparing to issue a document detailing Trump’s proposal.
Seems strange to me that there is a US Government agency (EPA) that is tasked with protecting air quality and there has always got to be a “win” for the known pollutants. Aromatics make up around 20% of every gallon of gasoline. The reason they are not refined out is that they are needed for octane…the solution? Ethanol is the cheapest octane available. It is NOT carcinogenic and it has the added air quality benefit of oxygenating fuel and thus reducing harmful tailpipe emissions by 1/3! It is renewable and keeps our money here in the USA! There never been military troops sent to the Midwest to guard cornfields. NEVER LOST ONE SOUL to keep ethanol fuel flowing. Just to be clear: ethanol subsidy ended in 2011—and it was a “blenders tax credit” to oil companies! When will we stop subsidizing petroleum ( Big Oil)?