SDCGA Supports Legislation to Provide Year-Round Access to E15

Sioux Falls, S.D. The South Dakota Corn Growers Association (SDCGA) thanks members of Congress for their support of corn growers across the country, and particularly those in South Dakota, through the introduction of legislation that ensures access to higher blends of ethanol, especially E15, in a year-round marketplace.

Twenty-two members of the House, led by the House Biofuels Caucus, introduced H.R. 4410, the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act. In the Senate, 10 bipartisan cosponsors, including South Dakota’s Mike Rounds commenced the Consumer and Fuel Retailers Choice Act.

“Corn growers across South Dakota support the enormous benefits of higher blended ethanol contribute to the fuel marketplace, as well as the environment,” said SDCGA secretary-treasurer and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) ethanol team member Dave Ellens. “E15 is lower in carbon and tailpipe emissions than traditional fuels, in addition to being more cost-efficient for consumers. Not to mention, out of our 729 million bushels of corn grown in the state, 424 million bushels are used in ethanol processing at our 16 ethanol plants.

“We thank Sen. Rounds and appreciate the work he and others are doing to allow continued market access and development for this low carbon, high octane fuel option. SDCGA looks forward to working with him, Sen. Thune and Rep. Johnson as our South Dakota champions of biofuels to provide assurance for consumers, retailers, our environment and rural economies.”

Earlier this month, The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a 2019 rule by the Environmental Protection Agency that removed outdated regulatory barriers to the sale of a fifteen percent ethanol fuel blend, E15 or Unleaded 88. This case was a challenge by oil refiners to the rulemaking that extended the same treatment 10 percent ethanol blends receive to E15, allowing year-round market access for E15.

SDCGA, as well as our national organization, NCGA, will continue to pursue all options to prevent impact on retailers and drivers this summer and to ensure a long-term solution before next summer.

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About SDCGA: South Dakota Corn Growers Association (SDCGA) serves as a powerful legislative voice for corn farmers in the state. This active commodity group collaborates to promote corn by influencing public policy, educating consumers, developing new corn markets, increasing corn usage and improving grower profitability. Details at sdcorn.org.