ACE Supports Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Availability of Higher Ethanol Blends

Posted on 03/03/2021| Tags: ACE, infrastrucutre, Axne, Davis

Sioux Falls, SD (March 3, 2021) - Today, U.S. Representatives Cindy Axne (D-IA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) led the introduction of the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act, with the support of House Biofuels Caucus Co-Chairs. This bipartisan legislation would create a renewable fuel infrastructure grant program at the United States Department of Agriculture and streamline regulatory requirements to help fuel retailers sell higher blends of ethanol.

Specifically, the legislation would authorize $500 million over five years for USDA biofuel infrastructure grants and direct the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize a proposed rule to repeal E15 labeling requirements. The bill would also direct EPA to finalize provisions from the same proposed rule to allow certain existing Underground Storage Tanks to store higher blends of ethanol.

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings issued the following statement of support:

'We thank Representatives Axne, Davis, and the Co-Chairs of the House Biofuels Caucus for this demonstration of bipartisan leadership, which is necessary to ensure biofuels play a leading role in helping the U.S. achieve net-zero emissions by midcentury. While electric vehicles (EVs) continue to dominate the headlines, experts conclude EVs alone will fail to reach President Biden's goal of net-zero emissions in the U.S. by 2050, and that increased use of biofuels will be required to help address the emissions gap. A recent study by Harvardvalidates what ACE has been saying for years; today's corn ethanol is nearly 50 percent cleaner than gasoline. This vital legislation with both bicameral and bipartisan backing would ensure infrastructure parity for biofuels and EVs and help ethanol continue to be part of the solution to climate change.'

The Senate companion, S. 227, is led by Senators Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA).