E15 Announcement Expected
Zeldin Expected to Make E15 Announcement at Energy Conference
OMAHA (DTN) -- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is expected to make announcements on nationwide E15 and E10 on Wednesday at CERAWeek, a major energy conference in Houston.
EPA stated the announcements tied to ethanol would "boost energy supply and provide cost relief to Americans."
On Tuesday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, wrote President Donald Trump calling on him to make E15 available before the summer driving season to help reduce rising domestic fuel prices.
Klobuchar also asked for Trump's support for legislation that would permanently authorize year-round E15. Trump has made that point, including comments he made on E15 during a visit to Iowa in January.
E15 "is a no-cost, immediate step your administration can take to help curb rising domestic fuel costs as the war in Iran continues," Klobuchar wrote the president.
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"As you know, American-made biofuels are a readily available energy solution that offers consumers affordable options at the pump," Klobuchar continued. "E15 plays an important role in supporting farmers, strengthening rural economies, and providing consumers with more affordable fuel options. On average, E15 is saving drivers about $0.25 per gallon compared to conventional E10 blends. This savings can be even greater with higher ethanol blends like E30 and E85."
EPA stated Zeldin's announcement at CERAWeek is not tied to Renewable Fuel Standard rulemaking.
Zeldin on Monday promised EPA will make an announcement on volumetric requirements and other aspects of the Renewable Fuel Standard by "the end of the month."
Zeldin was interviewed at the Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit in Washington.
Trump has scheduled an event at the White House on Friday with farmers and biofuel advocates. It's expected the RVO details will be released that day.
As soon as this RFS announcement is made, Zeldin said EPA will begin working on the next set of RFS rules in order to provide "certainty and predictability."
He said there are "four dials" that have to be taken into consideration on biofuels policy including biomass-based diesel, discounting Renewable Identification Numbers and reallocations of biofuels types.
On biofuels, "the stakeholder input we receive is very diverse," he said.
On E15 legislation, Zeldin said senators from the Midwest including Iowa Republicans Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst view E15 as both an economic and national security issue, but added that "you have members who represent other parts of the country -- they have different constituencies."
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Jerry Hagstrom can be reached at jhagstrom@nationaljournal.com
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