With Relentless Pressure from Noem, Trump Approves Year-Round E15

Press Release

After months of relentless pressure from Rep. Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump today took the first step toward lifting restrictions on year-round E15. More specifically, under the president's direction, the EPA will begin the rule-making process that would allow for 15 percent ethanol blends to be used throughout the year.

"To stabilize the ag economy, we need to expand market access, and ethanol is a huge market that, because of federal regulations, we've been unable to fully tap into," said Noem. "President Trump and I have had many conversations about the expansion of E15. He knows where I stand, and that I wouldn't give up on this issue until we made it right for farmers in South Dakota and for consumers who are demanding more affordable, homegrown fuels. I am grateful that he has followed through on this promise to the American people."

"We are thrilled that the President is moving forward with his promise to deliver year round sales of E15, and we appreciate the key role Congresswoman Noem played in getting us to this point, particularly as a Chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus and as a strong supporter of renewable fuels," said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. "This announcement is great news for farmers, biofuel workers, retailers and consumers everywhere who want to enjoy cleaner, more affordable options at the fuel pump."

"We commend Rep. Noem for her leadership in Congress and helping the Administration understand the importance of increasing market access for agricultural products," said Scott VanderWal, President of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. "The best way out of the current poor ag economy is to find new markets and expand existing ones."

"I would like to thank President Trump, on behalf of our 2,000 employees and our 30,000 producers, for fulfilling his promise to the Midwest and our industry. I'd also like to thank Rep. Noem and our other biofuel champions in Washington for their strong support throughout this process," said Jeff Broin, CEO of POET. "This is a historic directive -- not only for our farmers, but for the nation as a whole. The move to E15 will provide consumers with the choice to fill up with low-cost, high-performance fuel year-round, while improving air quality in our country's largest cities."

"Today is an exciting day for corn producers. Allowing year-round E15 is a move South Dakota Corn has been pushing for years. I would like to thank Representative Noem for her continuous advocacy with President Trump on behalf of South Dakota producers," said Lisa Richardson, Executive Director of South Dakota Corn. "We welcome this announcement and the opportunity to supply more of our nation's fuel supply."

A co-chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, Noem has been a leading ethanol advocate, putting immense pressure on the Trump administration to lift E15 restrictions and allow year-round usage. She has met on numerous occasions with President Trump and top administration officials on the topic and led more than 20 House members in urging the EPA to approve expanded ethanol opportunities. Furthermore, Noem has consistently pushed to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which the Obama administration repeatedly fell short of meeting and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt failed to make the adjustments needed in the new administration.

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