For Immediate Release
May 31, 2019
Contact: Kristin Wileman
Governor Noem’s Statement on Year-Round E15 Announcement
PIERRE, S.D. – After years of pressure from Governor Kristi Noem and others, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the removal of regulatory burdens preventing the sale of E15 (15 percent ethanol blends) year-round.
“To stabilize the ag economy, we need to expand market access. This announcement is a step in the right direction,” said Governor Noem. “South Dakota is a national leader in ethanol production, and this move by the EPA will remove unnecessary federal regulations and present further market opportunities for producers, bringing benefits directly to our famers and local economies, easing the impact of high gas prices on our pocketbooks, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. President Trump and I have had many conversations about the expansion of E15, and I’m grateful that his administration is further opening access to our homegrown fuels.”
Noem currently serves as vice chair of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition. Formerly serving as co-chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, Noem has been a leading ethanol advocate, putting immense pressure on the Trump administration to lift E15 restrictions and allow year-round usage. She has met on numerous occasions with President Trump and top administration officials on the topic and led more than 20 House members in urging the EPA to approve expanded ethanol opportunities.
###
