National Ag Week: Gov. Ricketts (R-NE) blasts 'big government' (EPA) in ethanol push

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KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts kicks off National Ag Week on Monday with a visit to ethanol producer Green Plains Inc. in Omaha. At left is Greg Ibach, Nebraska director of agriculture.


http://www.omaha.com/money/national-ag-week-ricketts-blasts-big-government-in-ethanol-push/article_ab4cf2b0-cbf3-11e4-ad89-ab64269f7443.html

POSTED: MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015 4:45 PM
By Russell Hubbard / World-Herald staff writer

Gov. Pete Ricketts Monday lambasted the Environmental Protection Agency for delaying regulations that would benefit Nebraska’s ethanol industry, which he called a key to the state’s agribusiness economy.

“It is a typical example of big government that doesn’t get it,” Ricketts said during a meeting at Omaha’s Green Plains Inc., the nation’s fourth-largest ethanol producer and one of the first stops as he toured the state to kick off National Ag Week.

At issue is the EPA renewable fuel standard, which requires how much ethanol must be blended into the nation’s gasoline supply to comply with federal laws. The EPA is almost two years late in promulgating the requirements for 2014 and almost six months tardy with the 2015 requirement.

About 13 billion gallons of ethanol were blended into the U.S. gasoline supply last year, and ethanol producers have been arguing against any cut in the requirement.

FULL story at link.