Governors’ Biofuels Coalition Thanks Trump for RFS Support During Campaign
Source: By Molly M. White, OPIS • Posted: Tuesday, December 13, 2016
In the congratulatory letter to the president-elect, Govs. Pete Ricketts (R- Neb.), Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) and Dennis Daugaard (R-S.D.) thanked Trump on behalf of those working in the biofuels industry for his support and said they look forward to working with him in the future on policies that “will add value to the agriculture economy.”
“We look forward to a robust and healthy relationship between your Administration, America’s farm families and our nation’s renewable fuels industry,” the governors said.
Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen lauded the governors for their letter and said Trump “understands the importance of clean, domestic energy resources and the economic power of value-added agriculture.”
“We are confident he will continue to support the RFS and expanded production and use of fuel ethanol during his administration,” Dinneen said in a statement.
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Executive Vice President Brian Jennings applauded the governors for their “leadership in helping convey the importance that rural, pro-ethanol voters played in the election.”
ACE “looks forward to working with the incoming Trump administration on keeping the RFS on track and providing regulatory relief for higher blends of ethanol,”
Jennings added in his statement.
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw said the industry trade group appreciates Branstad’s and the other governors’ continued support of the RFS, especially as Trump begins to develop his administration.
“As is always the case, there will be lots of new faces in [the] next administration,” Shaw said in a statement. “It’s smart to remind them where their new boss stands on the RFS. President-elect Trump made a very detailed commitment to the RFS last January when he spoke at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. He also mentioned his RFS support many times on the campaign trail. Now we look forward to working with the incoming Trump Administration to implement the RFS along the lines President-elect Trump embraced during the election.”
On Wednesday, it was reported by multiple sources that Trump selected Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the head of the EPA.
Mark Palmer, executive director of Renewable Fuels Nebraska (formerly the Association of Nebraska Ethanol Producers), said that the organization is “very happy” the letter was sent, and even with Trump’s pick of Pruitt for EPA administrator, “we believe he will be there for our industry.”
Palmer also said Nebraska is lucky to have Ricketts engaged in continuing to support the industry in the state.
Meantime, at his victory rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday night, Trump said he plans to end the intrusion of the EPA and cut regulations to a fraction of what they are now, although he made no mention if specific regulations, like the RFS, will be on the chopping block.