Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is keeping up pressure on EPA over biofuels, this time shifting her attention to the issue of E15 and expanding the availability of the fuel after EPA changed its rules to allow for year-round sales of the higher ethanol blend.
In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Ernst pointed out that the infrastructure issues for E15 are not necessarily valid, noting that all steel fuel tanks and fiberglass tanks put in service since 1990 are approved for up to 100% ethanol.
“Given the lifespan of underground tanks, almost every underground fuel tank should be able to handle E15 and higher blends of ethanol,” Ernst stated.
Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said aid for the U.S. biofuel sector may come down to decisions made by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue.
"We're in a position of depending on the Secretary of Agriculture if this $20 billion goes to him, getting some of it for ethanol," Grassley said on Tuesday, following a question from DTN.
The package provides $20 billion to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to help agricultural producers, growers and processors. The latter is being cited by some as covering ethanol producers.
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