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Midwestern Governors Urge E15 Support

Three Midwestern governors-- Gov. Terry Brandstad (R-Iowa), Gov. Pat Quinn (D-Ill.) and Gov. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.)--sent a letter to 11 of their fellow Midwestern governors urging their support for an E15 action plan on the state level.

The letter follows formal EPA approval of E15, which was issued June 15.

Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, appreciated the governors' support for the ethanol industry. "The ethanol industry already supports more than 500,000 good paying jobs, promoting economic growth and opportunities in rural America. State regulations are the final hurdle for E15, and these governors understand the proactive measures they must take to bring E15 to retailers in their state," Buis said.

"This letter exemplifies the kind of leadership necessary to bring E15 to the commercial marketplace," Buis continued. "By calling on their fellow governors to bring all of the stakeholders to the table and establish an E15 action plan, they will be ahead of the curve, ready for the seamless integration of E15."

The letter outlines the many challenges E15 will face in the states and what their fellow governors can do to streamline the approval process. Fellow governors are called to: coordinate state agencies, ensuring that all state codes and regulations accommodate E15, provide short term infrastructure support from the public and private sectors to aid retailers install Flex pumps as well as liability protection for retailers.

Buis concluded, "These governors have stepped up to the plate at a critical juncture in the process of bringing E15 to consumers. I applaud them for their definitive actions and for their resolute support of the ethanol industry. I urge the 11 other governors of the MGA to follow suit and help clear the bureaucratic obstacles and red tape to simplify the final steps of E15 commercialization."