Radio Ads Supporting Ethanol run During Wheeler’s Iowa Visit

Source: By Todd Neeley, DTN/Progressive farmer • Posted: Tuesday, August 14, 2018

While EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler was flipping burgers with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds at the Iowa State fair in Des Moines on Monday, renewable fuel groups were pressing the administrator on E15 and the Renewable Fuel Standard in a series of radio spots.

The Renewable Fuels Association launched a week-long ad campaign designed to press Wheeler to approve the sale of E15 year-round and to highlight the EPA’s dramatic increase in the issuance of small refinery waivers in recent years.

“These actions would significantly benefit consumers and farmers in Iowa and throughout the country,” the RFA said in a news release.

In the RFS spot listeners are reminded that as a presidential candidate, Donald Trump said EPA should ensure biofuel blend levels match the statutory RFS levels set by Congress.

“Iowans agree but Trump’s EPA has fallen short,” the ad states. “The EPA let oil refiners blend 2 billion fewer gallons of ethanol. That’s not fair. Tell President Trump it’s time for the EPA to support Iowa farmers.”

The radio spot for E15 highlights Trump’s support for the extended ethanol blend both as a candidate and as president. A few weeks ago in Iowa, Trump said his administration was “very close” to approving year-round E15. “The EPA is dragging its feet,” the ad said. “Tell Administrator Wheeler: It’s time to deliver on E15.”In a news release statement, RFA President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Dinneen said Wheeler will need to do more on the ethanol front than just visiting the Midwest.”Unfortunately, Acting Administrator Wheeler has inherited previous Administrator Scott Pruitt’s legacy of 2.25 billion gallons of RFS demand destruction,” Dinneen said.

“If Administrator Wheeler is truly interested in reaching out to farmers harmed by Scott Pruitt’s small refiner waiver fire sale, he’s got to do more than come to the Midwest and talk. He’s got to take action. If he wants to uphold the president’s commitment to farmers, he’s got to take action. RFA’s member companies want there to be no mistake about what the acting administrator needs to do — uphold the president’s commitment to a 15-billion-gallon RFS market for ethanol by reallocating prospective gallons waived for small refiners, and act on the president’s commitment to year-round use of E15 by providing RVP parity for higher blends today. Hopefully, Acting Administrator Wheeler’s trip to the Midwest will be more successful than his predecessor’s disastrous effort and he will bring solutions, not excuses.”

Listen to the radio ads here: https://ethanolrfa.org/…

And here: https://ethanolrfa.org/…

 

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