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Hoosier ethanol leaders say legislation would destroy demand for biofuels

Nine ethanol plant leaders in Indiana are asking Governor Eric Holcomb to veto Senate Bill 303. They say the legislation could devastate sales of E15 in the state and destroy demand for homegrown biofuels, made with clean energy harvested on Indiana farms.

In a letter, the group says the bill would require a warning label on E15 dispensers, confusing consumers and conflicting with federal labels already required. It will also create uncertainty and discourage more stations from offering E15.

The leaders say the bill would stall COVID-19 recovery and threaten income for farmers, jobs for rural workers, and savings at the pump for drivers. Ethanol production in Indiana supports more than 15,000 jobs and contributes $3 billion each year to the state’s economy. Half of the state’s annual corn harvest is sold to ethanol plants for biofuel production and other coproducts, like animal feed and food-grade CO2.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says the legislation was designed to stall new competition at the fuel pump. If the governor allows the bill to become law, she says Indiana farm families are going to be reminded of it every time they fill up at the pump.

The letter was signed by Jeremy Frerichs, plant manager at Andersons Clymers Ethanol in Logansport; Jeff Painter, president and CEO of Cardinal Ethanol in Union City; Ryan Drook, president and CEO of CIE in Marion; Dan Labhart, plant manager of Green Plains in Mount Vernon; Gunner Greene, chief operating officer of Iroquois Bio-Energy Company in Rensselaer; Dave Hudak, general manager of Poet Biorefining in Alexandria; David Pyle, general manager of Poet Biorefining in North Manchester; Adam Homan, general manager of Poet Biorefining in Portland; and Dan McMahan, general manager of Poet Biorefining in Shelbyville.