Trump Ties Ethanol Boon for Farmers to a Marshall Win: ‘I’m Only Doing It for Him,’ Trump Says about Making Year-Round E15 Permanent

by Niels Lesniewski and David Jordan (Roll Call) ... (President Donald) Trump made the proclamation Monday while stumping for the embattled Sen. Roger Marshall, who’s trying to avoid being the first Republican in his state (Kansas) to lose a Senate race in 94 years, in his race against pastor and first-time political candidate Adam Hamilton, a Democrat.

“With Roger Marshall in the Senate, we will make year-round E15 permanent. But if Adam Hamilton is in, I’m not doing it,” Trump said. “That’s it. I’m only doing it for him.”

Republican lawmakers and candidates from well beyond Kansas have been advocating for changing the law to allow the year-round sale of E15 gasoline, which contains more ethanol blended in than the typical 10 percent ethanol content. E15 sales in the summer can be permitted under current law with an EPA waiver.

It was not immediately clear if Trump would block such waivers in the summer of 2027 if Marshall loses, or if he would oppose enactment of the Senate’s farm bill provision that would amend the Clean Air Act to make E15 blends generally permissible. That’s a big deal to the corn ethanol industry as it would provide certainty that more of their product can get to market without relying on EPA determinations.

The president has also mentioned the ethanol issue in a video message endorsing Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, for reelection.

Trump has already endorsed year-round E15, signing an executive order on the first day of his second term to require the EPA to grant annual summer waivers.

But oil refiners, who are on the hook to demonstrate compliance with renewable fuel mandates even if consumers don’t want to purchase E15 or have vehicles that can support the higher-octane fuel, oppose codifying a permanent waiver. They’re willing to consider a deal allowing year-round E15, but only in exchange for more generous relief from quotas under the renewable fuel standard, or RFS.

In May, after farm groups and representatives of oil producers, marketers and larger refiners reached a deal with House leadership, the House voted on a bill that would amend the CAA to allow year-round E15. The bill would also provide certainty for smaller oil refiners by getting rid of the annual EPA exemption process, instead creating a system of permanent exemptions starting in 2028 while getting of annual reallocations of exempted blending obligations to larger, non-exempt refineries.

But it would also tighten the definition of small refiner by applying the current 75,000 daily production cap per refinery across all of a parent company’s facilities, which would impact firms with smaller refineries in multiple locations.

The bill passed 218-203, with the split falling along geographic lines as many oil and refinery state members voted against the bill — including Louisiana Republicans Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, Renewable Fuels Association and American Petroleum Institute all supported the bill. However, some smaller and midsize refiners, including those represented by the Fueling American Jobs Coalition and Small Refineries of America, argued that the bill could force more than 20 refineries out of business because of new exemption caps and changes to the definition of small refinery.

The Senate Agriculture Committee included year-round E15 in its version of the farm bill, which the panel approved 12-11 on Sept. 16, along with some RFS changes intended to ease small refiners’ burden. That legislation also would create a permanent program of small-refiner exemptions, but without the House’s bill’s tighter eligibility definition.

Still, some oil industry players that backed the House’s E15 bill opposed the Senate language, which provides more modest reallocation relief to non-exempt refineries. Key GOP senators whose constituents include oil refineries, such as Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming and Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz of Texas, haven’t publicly commented on the Senate’s E15 compromise.

Unlike the president’s comments on E15 regarding post-election activity, it appears the farm aid program will get underway immediately, with a notice from the Agriculture Department saying potential farmer beneficiaries should make sure they have up-to-date Login.gov credentials ahead of the rollout.

According to AAA, diesel prices remain above $6 per gallon in Kansas. That’s compared to about $3.39 per gallon just one year ago. READ MORE