In the first few months of the year, the U.S. Senate confirmed former New York Representative Lee Zeldin as the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas native Brooke Rollins as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) congratulated them on their confirmations. ACE CEO Brian Jennings noted that ACE looks forward to working with Zeldin “to keep the Renewable Fuel Standard on track, including safeguarding against the misuse of Small Refinery Exemptions and promptly moving forward on biofuel blending obligations for 2026 and beyond.”
“Other priorities ACE plans to raise with Administrator Zeldin include providing consumers with choices to use higher blends of ethanol in flexible fuel vehicles, supporting efforts to ensure nationwide year-round availability of E15, and applying the most recent GREET model to determine the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for corn ethanol.
ACE looks forward to working with Rollins on advancing the organization’s USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects aimed at ensuring farmers and biofuel producers get properly rewarded for sustainable farming practices under clean fuel programs and tax incentives such as the 45Z Clean Fuel Production credit. “As 45Z guidance is finalized by the Trump Treasury, we will encourage Secretary Rollins to leverage USDA's guidelines for crops used as biofuel feedstocks to help maximize opportunities for farmers and ethanol producers,” Jennings said. “We will also engage USDA on promoting further biofuel infrastructure funding opportunities for E15 and E85, as well as strengthening existing export and new SAF market opportunities.”
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin
ACE Welcomes Legislation to Make Nationwide E15 Year-Round PermanentOn February 13, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomed the reintroduction of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act led by Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) in the Senate, and Representatives Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) in the House. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends up to 15%.
“We’re grateful to bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate for reintroducing this critically important legislation which would once and for all ensure nationwide and permanent E15 availability,” said ACE CEO Brian Jennings. “As the summer driving season quickly approaches, we will continue working with our Senate and House supporters to make E15 year-round a reality and are prioritizing this during our annual DC fly-in March 27-28.”