Iowa Senator Grassley proposes to President Bush that EPA approve E15, E2 and E30 blends

October 31, 2007

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley called on President Bush to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to approve E15, E20, E30 blends.

Grassley said that with E85 not gaining acceptance, the US had to find other ways to ensure a market for higher blends of ethanol.

Grassley, a strong domestic ethanol supporter, is leading an effort to close a loophole allowing oil companies to circumvent the tariff on Brazilian ethanol. The loophole allows oil companies to receive a rebate of taxes paid on importing Brazilian ethanol when they export jet fuel. More than 434 million gallons of Brazilian ethanol were imported into the United States last year. “It’s nonsensical to say ethanol is the same as jet fuel,” Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Ia. “The (drawback) law makes no sense.”