E15 is Good to Go in Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: Monte Shaw

June 15, 2012

515-252-6249

IRFA: With EPA Announcement, E15 is “Good to Go” in Iowa

Challenges Remain for E15 Sales Through Summer as Oil Industry Refuses to Make Proper Blendstock Readily Available

JOHNSTON, IOWA – The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today announced Iowa is “good to go” for E15 sales following a federal EPA announcement that the final regulatory hurdles had been cleared. Yet, while the pathway to E15 sales is open, oil industry barriers remain during the summer.

“It’s serendipitous that EPA finalized the approval of E15 today, the same day Governor Branstad declared June 15th ‘Iowa Ethanol Day,’” stated IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “It was 34 years ago today that the first retail sale of E10 occurred – and it occurred in Iowa. Now, on the same day, Iowa is good to go for E15. Retailers complying with the waiver process and fuel regulations can begin selling E15 to 2001 and newer passenger vehicles.”

While the federal and state regulatory hurdles have been cleared, E15 is unlikely to be widely offered during the summer. Due to a quirk in federal fuel regulations, during the summer (June 1 through September 15) the gasoline blendstock needed to blend E15 is different from the gasoline blendstock for E10.

“Not surprisingly, the oil industry has used its fuel distribution monopoly to keep the blendstock for E15 out of Iowa,” added Shaw. “Some in our industry are attempting to bypass the oil system in order to bring the proper blendstock into Iowa, but it’s too soon to know if that will prove feasible. Clearly, the oil industry isn’t interested in consumer choice or lower cost fuel. Oil is interested in maintaining its near monopoly and the artificially high oil profits that result. So while today’s news is exciting, that excitement is tempered by the artificial marketplace hurdles thrown up by ethanol opponents.”

Iowa is the leader in renewable fuels production. Iowa has 13 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce 320 million gallons annually. In addition, Iowa has 41 ethanol refineries capable of producing nearly 3.7 billion gallons annually.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.

###

For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: