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NCGA: E15 bill stalled by government shutdown, but support remains strong

The director of public policy and renewable fuels with the National Corn Growers Association says California’s recent move to allow sales of E15 could be an important step for nationwide access to the fuel.

Matt Ziegler says it’s another example of the product’s broad support.

“I think we’ve got really good support from the right places on Capitol Hill and from the President, the White House, and his administration, but we’re in a shutdown right now and things are not moving up on the Hill.”  He says, “And so, it’s just going to be a matter of finding the right vehicle to attach that bill to in the remaining months of this year.”

He tells Brownfield that nationwide, year-round E15 could also be part of the solution to the struggling ag economy.

“One quick way to alleviate a lot of the pain in rural America right now is blending more biofuels.”  He says, “We’re really hopeful that we can get this thing across the finish line and help farmers immediately.”

Ziegler says he expects any resolution to reopen the government to be clean, or without additional legislation, and says nationwide E15’s best chance for passage will come with other funding resolutions later this year.

AUDIO: Matt Ziegler – NCGA