IRFA Applauds Governor Reynolds for Bipartisan Leadership and Ensuring Low-Cost Fuel Options for Consumers

Contact: Cassidy Walter
515-322-0435

JOHNSTON, IOWA – Today Governor Kim Reynolds led a bipartisan group of eight Midwest governors in a letter to EPA officially exercising their authority to ensure E15 can be sold all year. E15 is commonly priced 10 to 30 cents less per gallon than E10.

“Today Governor Reynolds led a bipartisan group of governors to protect E15 sales here in the Midwest,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “With no clear nationwide fix in sight, these Governors decided it was time to take action on a state level and protect access to a fuel that saves family pocketbooks, reduces smog-forming emissions, boosts farmer income and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. This is a permanent fix for E15 and all higher ethanol blends. The importance of today’s action cannot be overstated to the future growth of ethanol use in the United States.”

Under the Clean Air Act, governors have the authority to ask EPA to equalize the summer regulations for E10 and E15. Currently, E10 and E15 are regulated differently, allowing oil refiners to game the system by not supplying the proper gasoline to blend for summer E15.

Joining Governor Reynolds were the governors of Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Combined these eight states account for over 10 percent of US gasoline use – a market larger than California.

“While these governors are leading the way, it’s not too late for others to follow suit,” added Shaw. “States that don’t exercise their authority will see low cost E15 forced out of their markets and retailers will be hesitant to expand access in their states. This has been an incredible week for E15 here in Iowa. Thanks to Gov. Reynolds, Iowa will have a permanent solution for year-round E15 and a just-passed nation leading E15 access bill. This is what real leadership looks like.”

View the governors’ letter here.

Learn more about E15 and Summer Sales here.

Learn more about the state-level solution for E15 here.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 42 ethanol refineries capable of producing 4.5 billion gallons annually – including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce 410 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.

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