Secretary Naig Voices Support for Year-Round Use of E15

DES MOINES, Iowa (April 30, 2019) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voicing support for the EPA’s proposed changes to fuel regulations. The new rule would allow year-round sales of E15, gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol, during the summer months.

“The Iowa renewable fuels industry accounts for more than $5 billion (roughly 3 percent) of Iowa’s GDP, generating $2.5 billion of income for Iowa households and supporting almost 50,000 jobs throughout the state,” said Naig. “Year-round access to E15 represents a long-overdue step toward creating a truly competitive fuel market, where cleaner, lower-cost biofuel blends are available to all consumers. This means stronger markets for farm families across Iowa who have been struggling with ongoing low commodity prices and trade tensions.”

Read Secretary Naig’s letter to the EPA here.

In addition to allowing year-round sales of E15, the EPA’s proposed regulatory changes would modify certain elements of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance system to improve the renewable identification number (RIN) market. 

Iowa will have close to 1,000 E-15 pumps at 200 stations across the state by the end of 2019.