DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says she is taking President Donald Trump at his word that he will uphold an agreement made with farm state lawmakers and agriculture groups to maintain the ethanol requirements in current law.
Since Trump became president, the Environmental Protection Agency has given 85 oil refineries exemptions from blending ethanol into the gasoline they sell. That has removed 4 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol from the market, leading to ethanol plant closures and angering farmers.
On Oct. 4 Trump committed to ensuring in coming years that any exempted ethanol would be replenished by the remaining refineries. However, an EPA rule released last week did not include the agreed upon language to guarantee the required 15 billion gallons of ethanol each year is blended into the nation’s fuel supply.
On Wednesday, Reynolds said Trump is trying to satisfy the oil and agriculture industries. Reynolds says she’ll push the EPA to fulfill Trump’s promises.
