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Ethanol backers say government delays stall year-round E15 progress

Ethanol supporters say year-round E15 continues to face a difficult road in Washington D.C.

Chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board Jan TenBensel, a farmer from McCook, says the industry is becoming more frustrated.

“The market is hungry for more ethanol in the system. We have the capacity. We have the corn. We just need these simple bureaucratic rules to be fixed.”

U.S. Congressman Randy Feenstra says progress has been halted on a federal solution.

“That’s another thing that really frustrates me,” he said. “We were set up and ready to go to put it on the year-end budget. But right now, we can’t do it because the government is closed.”

TenBensel says the continuing resolution to fund the federal government that’s in front of Congress isn’t a long-term fix and another will be needed. He says that could be the best option left this year.

“And that is the CR that more than likely will have more compromises in it and hopefully E15 can be attached to that continuing resolution and get it through at that time.”

Feenstra tells Brownfield that E15 legislation would immediately drive corn demand.

“That in itself could really help that corn price if we could get some certainty and get year-round E15,” he said. “This is a cost-free amendment to federal law.”

Legislation in both chambers, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, has been supported by ethanol producers, fuel retailers, corn farmers and some oil refiners.

Brownfield’s Brent Barnett contributed to this story.