E15 RULEMAKING PROCESS ADVANCES

Tricia Braid

Mar 26, 2019  |  Today's News |  Ethanol

The EPA has published their proposed rule that would authorize E15 for year-round sales. Achieving RVP parity for E15 has been a top priority of IL Corn, and we’re almost across the finish line in achieving that goal for you. Removing arbitrary barriers to ethanol market access is one way to improve the demand picture for corn grind. Illinois Corn Growers Association will be initiating a call to action on this topic in the coming days, so please keep your eyes on your email account and your text messages (if you’ve given us your cell phone number) as we will be contacting you with instructions to make your voice heard on this issue.

 

When we successfully remove the outdated barrier to year-round sales of E15, farmers benefit from increasing sales of higher blends of ethanol through growing demand for corn, while consumers benefit from lower fuel prices and lower emissions. Retailers want to offer this fuel. Farmers need to help ensure obstacles to year-round E15 sales are removed.

 

Currently, the proposed rule for E15 is paired with a complex proposal to change rules for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), the credits that demonstrate compliance with the RFS. An effective RIN market helps drive more ethanol blending, but some provisions in EPA’s proposal could have the opposite effect. While EPA wants to move the E15 and RIN market rules together, we need EPA to ensure the RIN market proposal is fair to those who are blending more biofuels and not tilted in favor of refiners who choose not to blend.