10/07/2018

ELECTION/ENERGY [ALTERNATIVE]/EPA/GOP/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce the lifting of a federal ban on summer sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline on Tuesday [10-9-18] in Washington DC ahead of a trip to Iowa the same day, according to two sources familiar with the planning of the event. The move, expected sometime around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, is aimed at helping Republicans in competitive elections in the nation’s farm belt. Iowa is the largest U.S. producer of ethanol. The lifting of the summer ban on so-called E15 gasoline is expected to be coupled with restrictions on trading biofuel credits that underpin the program, the sources said, but it’s unclear whether the restrictions will be detailed or left up to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to decide.”

Jarrett Renshaw, “Trump to announce pro-ethanol measure on Tuesday ahead of Iowa trip: sources,” Reuters, October 7, 2018 6:33 am