Washington, DC — A northwest Iowa farmer told members of the U.S. House today (Tuesday) it’s time for Congress to enforce the federal ethanol production requirement.
That’s Kelly Nieuwenhuis of Primghar — the board president for Siouxland Energy in Sioux Center. He testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Tuesday morning.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City, have proposed legislation that would force the EPA to publicly disclose which small refineries get a pass on blending ethanol into gasoline as well as the economic basis for those decisions. Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says 19 U.S. ethanol plants have been idled or closed in the past year and a half.
A spokesman for the oil industry told committee members the Renewable Fuel Standard is a threat to small refineries.
That’s Chet Thompson, president and CEO of The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. He accused the ethanol industry of distorting the impact of the EPA’s waivers to small oil refineries.
A spokesman for biofuels industry testified government data indicates ethanol demand fell from 2017 to 2018 and, so far this year, demand is 500 million gallons lower than expected.
