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SREs were ‘the final blow’ in shutdown of Iowa ethanol plant

The latest round of RFS Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) is what forced the decision to close the Siouxland Energy ethanol plant at Sioux Center, Iowa.

“The big change was the last round of SREs. Every one of them has hurt under the Trump Administration, but the last 31 was the final blow,” says Kelly Niewenhuis, chairman of the board for Siouxland Energy. “In two days ethanol prices dropped 18 to 20 cents and RINs dropped in half—and that just took the sails out of the profitability of the ethanol industry.”

Niewenhuis says they’re hoping the RFS fix being worked on by the Trump Administration will help turn things around.

“If we can get the same response out of positive news that we got out of the negative news with the last round of Small Refinery Exemptions—and we get a 20 cent bounce in the ethanol prices—it won’t take long to get this thing up and running again,” he says.

Niewenhuis says President Trump needs to keep his promise to farmers and the ethanol industry and reallocate the four billion gallons of ethanol demand that’s been lost to the RFS waivers.

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  The United States is opening up its Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help stabilize World Fuel Supplies, after the attack on Saudi Oil Production.

  Perhaps it’s time to get the 20+ U.S. Ethanol and Biodiesel Plants, that are current shutdown in the U.S., up and running again.

  The Biofuel Plants have been shut down due to all the non-reallocated Refinery Waivers given to “Small Refineries” to not blend biofuels by the EPA. Even though some of those “Small Refineries” are owned by Billion Dollar Oil Giants, with thousands of gas stations that could be selling more Biofuels if they wanted to.

  If we can open up the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help with World Fuel Supplies, we sure ought to also be able to open up all our closed Biofuel Plants too.

  Mr. President, Let’s Stop Playing “All the Oil Games” at the EPA with our Renewable Fuels Standard!

  We need the Increased Fuel Supplies and Security that the American Biofuels Industry Can Provide.

  Thomas Blazek

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  Its not coming back. When will farmers learn? Your not voting for Regan anymore. The new Republican party considers you no different than welfare recipients living off of the government. Stop voting against your own sucess. Realize times have changed and you are now just a bargaining chip to them.

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