Trump’s Declaring of a National Energy Emergency: What That Means for E15

Lyndi Allen

The White House’s recent declarations on E15 and energy policies will shift the federal approach to energy markets. The “Declaring a National Emergency” order regarding E15 allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the Secretary of Energy’s concurrence, to issue emergency fuel waivers to enable year-round E15 gasoline sales. This is to address temporary gasoline supply shortages. 

Illinois’ corn contribution to ethanol is around 26.3%, meaning over a quarter of production goes towards the ethanol industry. According to the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), 2.29 billion bushels of corn nationwide is impacted by a year-round E15 policy.

The IL Corn Growers Association is excited to see the endorsement of the expanded E15 access being a priority for the Administration, though there is still work to be done legislatively and regulatorily to ensure a solid resolution to the issue.

In “Unleashing American Energy,” The White House made a considerable number of declarations that protect the traditional liquid fuels market and internal combustion engines. This leads to rolling back regulations and eliminating policies favoring electric vehicles (EVs) over gasoline-powered vehicles.

These measures align with the corn farmer’s interest, as they grow the demand for ethanol-blended fuels. Rolling back rules like EPA Multi-Pollutant Rule and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rule could ease compliance cost and regulatory pressures.

In the “Unleashing American Energy,” The White House further declares that it will eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate and promote true consumer choice, because the new administration believes that both are essential for economic growth and innovation. They will do this by:

• Ensuring a regulatory level playing field for consumer choice in vehicles
• Terminating the state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles, when appropriate
• Considering the elimination of unfair subsides and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies; effectively mandating their purchase by individuals, private businesses, and government entities by causing other types of vehicles unaffordable

These are significant changes that positively affect the ethanol industry. There are still notions to be made in legislation to further resolve the issue. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration to further the demand and access for ethanol.

Resources:

https://ncga.com/stay-informed/media/the-corn-economy/article/2024/10/higher-ethanol-blends-a-win-for-corn-farmers-consumers-and-the-environment

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-american-energy/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-energy-emergency/