Trump puts EPA's ethanol program on ice

[thackney]

Trump puts EPA's ethanol program on ice
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-puts-epas-ethanol-program-on-ice/article/2612836
By JOHN SICILIANO • 1/24/17

he Environmental Protection Agency's renewable fuel program faces a temporary freeze as President Trump's regulatory chill kicks in this week.

The Trump administration will use that time to review the regulations and decide if any further action is warranted based on an executive order Trump signed after being sworn in as the 45th president on Friday, according to a notice that the EPA's acting administrator, Catherine McCabe, issued late Monday.

McCabe lists the fuel program among 30 regulations, issued from Oct. 28 to Jan. 17, that Trump has ordered the agency to freeze temporarily by delaying them all by one month.

"The temporary delay in effective dates until March 21, 2017, is necessary to give agency officials the opportunity for further review and consideration of new regulations," a pre-publication copy of the notice reads. The notice will be published in Thursday's Federal Register as a final rule.

The ethanol industry downplayed the notice as "simply procedural."

"It is not expected to affect implementation, enforcement or compliance" with the fuel program, Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen said.

The notice marks one of the first rules to be issued by the EPA under the Trump administration, corresponding to an executive order the president issued Jan. 20 and a memo sent to all agencies called "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review....

[geronl]

Hopefully he will end all ethanol subsidies, even though he supported them bigly in the Iowa primary. Or he was lying then, which Trumpers support him doing.

[Fishrrman]

Durn it!

This guy -- who so many [mostly] newcomers in this forum opposed, and still oppose -- seems to be doing all the right things.

Now... how could that be?

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Durn it!

This guy -- who so many [mostly] newcomers in this forum opposed, and still oppose -- seems to be doing all the right things.

Now... how could that be?

Too many look at past actions and/or talk instead of what one must do: look at present actions.

[Smokin Joe]

Durn it!

This guy -- who so many [mostly] newcomers in this forum opposed, and still oppose -- seems to be doing all the right things.

Now... how could that be?

In Iowa he said he would seek to increase the Renewable Fuels Mandate and would use the EPA to enforce the law to the fullest extent.

That was the end of my Primary support for him, right there.

Either nothing will happen and the destruction of small engines and vehicles with older fuel systems will continue, or he won't fulfill that campaign promise.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

In Iowa he said he would seek to increase the Renewable Fuels Mandate and would use the EPA to enforce the law to the fullest extent.

That was the end of my Primary support for him, right there.

Either nothing will happen and the destruction of small engines and vehicles with older fuel systems will continue, or he won't fulfill that campaign promise.

Is that a possible compliment that he might do the right thing?  How weird could that be?

[corbe]

In Iowa he said he would seek to increase the Renewable Fuels Mandate and would use the EPA to enforce the law to the fullest extent.

That was the end of my Primary support for him, right there.

Either nothing will happen and the destruction of small engines and vehicles with older fuel systems will continue, or he won't fulfill that campaign promise.

   I don't think he's lying now, He was Lying then to get the Ethanol vote and his Ambassador to China, then Gov Branstad, was right there with him, he still lost Iowa.
    I'm happy, it just proves Sen Cruz was right all along and the President is listening to him.

[skeeter]

   I don't think he's lying now, He was Lying then to get the Ethanol vote and his Ambassador to China, then Gov Branstad, was right there with him, he still lost Iowa.
    I'm happy, it just proves Sen Cruz was right all along and the President is listening to him.

I'm glad he changed his mind, but this does validate what Cruz supporters were saying during the primaries.

Just like Trump's obvious abandonment of his 'deport em' primary promise - more validation.

Anyway I'm happy with his actions today.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I'm glad he changed his mind,

Happy he changed his mind or him doing the right thing?

Two different things.

[Wingnut]

You plant corn for food and booze.  Not fuel. 

[Smokin Joe]

Is that a possible compliment that he might do the right thing?  How weird could that be?

First off, there were many claimed stances on issues Trump had which were very close to those of the candidate I supported in the Primary season. However, this was not one of them.

Not only has he not ended the mandate yet, if he does, it will be exactly the opposite of a campaign promise.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the ethanol mandate, and the candidate I supported back when would have eliminated it and let the market decide--and made no bones about it then--which was one of the reasons I supported him. Oh well, ancient history.

But which "right thing" do you want? The end of the ethanol mandate or honesty? If you promise diametrically opposed things and do only one, does that make you a promise keeper or a liar?

[Bigun]

First off, there were many claimed stances on issues Trump had which were very close to those of the candidate I supported in the Primary season. However, this was not one of them.

Not only has he not ended the mandate yet, if he does, it will be exactly the opposite of a campaign promise.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the ethanol mandate, and the candidate I supported back when would have eliminated it and let the market decide--and made no bones about it then--which was one of the reasons I supported him. Oh well, ancient history.

But which "right thing" do you want? The end of the ethanol mandate or honesty? If you promise diametrically opposed things and do only one, does that make you a promise keeper or a liar?

End the mandate and worry about who lied about what later!

[Smokin Joe]

End the mandate and worry about who lied about what later!

I'm all for ending the mandate and letting the market decide. I'm paying extra now to NOT have ethanol blended in my gas. (It should be cheaper!)

[IsailedawayfromFR]

But which "right thing" do you want? The end of the ethanol mandate or honesty? If you promise diametrically opposed things and do only one, does that make you a promise keeper or a liar?

Which is better:  The man of honor who keeps his promise or the man who admits his failures and does the right thing?

Seems Jesus had something to say about that in Luke 15 11-32

[driftdiver]

Hopefully he will end all ethanol subsidies, even though he supported them bigly in the Iowa primary. Or he was lying then, which Trumpers support him doing.

@geronl

Any kind of subsidy goes over big in farm country.   I grew up in Iowa and they have managed to chase out almost all industry except the corporate farms which are quite proficient at collecting subsidies.

Ethanol needs to go away.

[Wingnut]

Yep.  Only idiots burn their food supply for fuel.

Even Sterno drinkers who drink their fuel for food know better!

[Smokin Joe]

Which is better:  The man of honor who keeps his promise or the man who admits his failures and does the right thing?

Seems Jesus had something to say about that in Luke 15 11-32

In other words, before he launched into a big campaign about "Lyin' Ted" he lied about Ethanol in order to suck up to Iowa Governor Branstad whose son was a lobbyist for the Ethanol industry and try to buy the farmers' votes. Gotcha.

Sorry, but in this he still reeks, even if he does the 'right thing'.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

In other words, before he launched into a big campaign about "Lyin' Ted" he lied about Ethanol in order to suck up to Iowa Governor Branstad whose son was a lobbyist for the Ethanol industry and try to buy the farmers' votes. Gotcha.

Sorry, but in this he still reeks, even if he does the 'right thing'.

Well, it seems that our God looks at both the same way in the end.

[Hondo69]

If you fill up your car in Iowa you get lots of choices at the pump.  Mainly, the choice between ethanol or non-ethanol straight gasoline.

Here in Texas we have fewer choices - ethanol 87 or ethanol 92. 

When you mention that fact to an Iowan they look at you funny.  To ease the tension you sum up the ironic paradox with a few short words, "the government wants it that way".  Then they nod approvingly as all the puzzle pieces now fit together.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

If you fill up your car in Iowa you get lots of choices at the pump.  Mainly, the choice between ethanol or non-ethanol straight gasoline.

Here in Texas we have fewer choices - ethanol 87 or ethanol 92. 

When you mention that fact to an Iowan they look at you funny.  To ease the tension you sum up the ironic paradox with a few short words, "the government wants it that way".  Then they nod approvingly as all the puzzle pieces now fit together.

Have you found the ethanol free stations yet in Texas? http://www.pure-gas.org/

I only occasionally use for my vehicles, but always for my 2 cycle engines and other engines.

@Hondo69

[Bigun]

Have you found the ethanol free stations yet in Texas? http://www.pure-gas.org/

I only occasionally use for my vehicles, but always for my 2 cycle engines and other engines.

@Hondo69

The nearest one to me is a 100 mile round trip.

Come to think of it I suppose I could drive out to the airport and buy some avgas.

[jpsb]

Yes! Yes! Yes! 15% would have killed all my gas engines! Thank you Trump! The winning just keeps on coming.

[thackney]

Have you found the ethanol free stations yet in Texas? http://www.pure-gas.org/

I only occasionally use for my vehicles, but always for my 2 cycle engines and other engines.

Take those lists with a grain of salt.  For example the "stations" in the Houston area are placing that sell racing fuel by the barrel, at a far higher price than gas pumps.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

In Iowa he said he would seek to increase the Renewable Fuels Mandate and would use the EPA to enforce the law to the fullest extent.

That was the end of my Primary support for him, right there.
Either nothing will happen and the destruction of small engines and vehicles with older fuel systems will continue, or he won't fulfill that campaign promise.

Well that brings up an interesting point, doesn't it?  I know there was an argument that Trump should be judged based on whether or not he fulfills him campaign promises, but there were some of those promises we clearly don't want to be fulfilled.  How do we judge the guy then?

I'm in a bit of disbelief that Trump is turning into much more of a deregulator than he hinted at during the campaign.  It is yugely refreshing, but a shock nevertheless.

[jpsb]

You plant corn for food and booze.  Not fuel.

LOL, yup, Bump