No. 172 April 22, 2021 
TOP STORY Celebrate Earth Day By Filling Up with E15 Today is Earth Day -- what better day to showcase the benefits of biofuels and how our plant-based, renewable fuel is the future for a healthier planet. 
CEO Emily Skor celebrated Earth Day by filling up with E15 and encouraging others to do the same. We're spreading the word so that everyone knows that fueling up with E15 at the pump is a small choice that can make a huge difference.
We encourage you to record your own video and post on social media, using the hashtags #FuelBeyond and #GetBiofuel. This week, we also kicked off a "Why Biofuels" video series highlighting the many environmental benefits of ethanol. Be sure to join in on social media today and add to the drumbeat of messaging across the nation that biofuels can make a difference TODAY.
WORKING FOR YOU IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Growth Energy to President Biden: Include Biofuels in Emissions Goal
Rep. Axne Calls for Biofuels in Infrastructure Legislation
Growth Energy Thanks Senators Klobuchar and Fischer for Fighting for the Renewable Fuel Standard IN REGULATORY AFFAIRS Growth Energy Calls on EPA to Fix E15 Labeling and Infrastructure
What They Are Saying: Biofuel and Ag Groups Urge Holcomb to Veto Anti-Ethanol Bill
State Update: Washington IN MARKET DEVELOPMENT Royal Farms Celebrates Earth Day - Opens 21st Ethanol Refueling Station
Growing the E15 Footprint UPCOMING EVENTS
Supreme Court: HollyFrontier v. RFA Oral Arguments April 27
IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Growth Energy to President Biden: Include Biofuels in Emissions Goal 
Ahead of today's climate summit hosted by President Biden, Growth Energy sent a letter urging him to include a significant and robust role for biofuels as part of his strategy to upgrade our nation's infrastructure and set a new emissions reduction goal for the United States. Our letter calls on the White House to:
Rep. Axne Calls for Biofuels in Infrastructure Legislation 
Rep. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa) wrote to U.S. House of Representatives leadership last week urging inclusion of investments and incentives for the biofuels sector in the House’s infrastructure proposal. In her letter, she wrote:
"As the U.S. House of Representatives begins its work crafting an infrastructure package, I am writing to you to strongly encourage that support for biofuels be included through the direct investment and tax provisions of this legislation.
"Although many portions of the American Jobs Act will provide the support and investments that are much needed for the Iowans I represent, I was disappointed that biofuels was not included in the initial framework laid out by the Biden Administration.
Growth Energy Thanks Senators Klobuchar and Fischer for Fighting for the Renewable Fuel Standard Yesterday, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) led 10 Senators in sending a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking Administrator Michael Regan to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and reject pandemic-driven requests to waive or reduce renewable volume obligations (RVOs). Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor released the following statement thanking the senators:
“We’re grateful for Senators Klobuchar’s and Fischer’s leadership in underscoring to EPA that restoring integrity to the RFS will assist in the economic recovery of rural America and help the Administration reach its climate goals. EPA should not give in to oil refiners’ claims that renewable volume obligations should be reduced because of COVID-driven demand reductions when EPA itself just recently told the Supreme Court that ‘…creating incentives for market participants to replace petroleum fuels with renewable fuels is a core purpose of the RFS.’
“We are continuing to work with Administrator Regan, the Biden Administration, and our biofuels champions in Congress to ensure the RFS is followed as Congress intended.”
Read the full letter from Sens. Klobuchar and Fischer to Administrator Regan here. For more information, please contact Vice President of Government Affairs John Fuher.
IN REGULATORY AFFAIRS Growth Energy Calls on EPA to Fix E15 Labeling and Infrastructure 
On Monday, Growth Energy submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for a fix to outdated and confusing E15 labeling and to determine that retail stations’ existing tank systems can accommodate the storage of E15 and higher gasoline-ethanol blends. In our comments, we note:
“Growth Energy supports modification of the E15 label requirement to increase clarity and ensure it adequately advises consumers of appropriate uses of the fuel, while not unnecessarily dissuading the vast majority of consumers whose vehicles can refuel with E15…. In addition, Growth Energy strongly supports EPA’s proposal to modify the underground storage tank (UST) compatibility requirements applicable to E15 and other fuel blends.
“There is ample support that a wide variety of fuel storage equipment, including USTs and related piping, may store E15 if it is suitable for use with E10. Removing unnecessary impediments to retailers’ use of such existing equipment is imperative to providing E15 equal footing in the fuels marketplace.”
After submitting comments, CEO Emily Skor made the following statement:
“As our nation faces the challenges of climate change, it’s imperative that EPA act immediately to support greater access to cleaner renewable fuel blends for all Americans. E15 and higher ethanol blended fuels will deliver immediate benefits for our environment and are a critical piece of our nation’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
“Clearing hurdles to the sale of E15 and growing markets of biofuels would also provide an economic lifeline for rural communities as they continue to rebuild in the wake of COVID-19. Between the economic and environmental benefits, fixing E15 labeling and infrastructure is a win-win for America.”
What They Are Saying: Biofuel and Ag Groups Urge Holcomb to Veto Anti-Ethanol Bill On Monday, the Indiana state legislature sent a bill to Governor Holcomb’s desk that was engineered by oil interests to destroy demand for homegrown biofuels, made with clean energy harvested on Indiana farms.
The bill, SB 303, would stall the rural recovery, cheating Hoosier farmers out of a growing market and forcing Indiana families to pay more at the pump. SB 303 would add a new and unnecessary warning label on E15 dispensers, sowing consumer confusion and discouraging more retailers from offering E15.
Biofuel and ag groups in the state strongly oppose SB 303 and are encouraging Governor Holcomb to stand with Indiana’s farm families and VETO this legislation immediately. Find out what they are saying and make your voice heard on SB 303 by clicking the link below.
State Update: Washington The Washington state Senate approved HB1091, an amended version of its low carbon fuel standard legislation. Among the notable amendments to the bill is language that requires a 25% increase in Washington's in-state liquid fuel production and at least one new biofuel production facility producing in excess of 60,000,000 gallons of biofuels per year receiving all necessary siting, operating, and environmental permits. The bill is likely headed to conference as the next step. For more information, please contact Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley. 
IN MARKET DEVELOPMENT Royal Farms Celebrates Earth Day -- Opens 21st Ethanol Refueling Station 
This Earth Day Royal Farms and Protec Fuel Management, LLC (Protec) celebrate their past year’s achievement of displacing petroleum fuel with enough low carbon biofuels to account for a pollution reduction equivalent to planting more than 102,353 trees. This May, Royal Farms will also mark the opening of their 21st biofuel station in the region.
“We are proud to be a leader in carbon reductions by selling renewable fuels. Offering higher quality products at a better value is the cornerstone upon which Royal Farms was built,” said Fuel and Environmental Compliance Leader Tom Ruszin. “We want our customers to know they can affordably switch now to low carbon fuels that help improve air quality,” he added.
“Royal Farms is committed to making investments in low-carbon, clean-burning fuels for our customers, but these government grants helped us expand the footprint of these offerings as a faster pace. With continued support, we will accelerate the integration of these technologies to help improve our communities,” explained Ruszin.
In October, Growth Energy welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement of grants under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for retailers, including Royal Farms. At the time of the announcement, Royal Farms commented, "Royal Farms appreciates the USDA HBIIP grant that will help us grow our Regular 88 (E15) and FlexFuel business. Growth Energy’s support in obtaining our grant was instrumental, and we look forward to our continued relationship with the organization.”
Growing the E15 Footprint 
As of March 2021, There are 5,062 total stations that have higher-level ethanol blends. Growth Energy's growing Market Development team continues to work with retailers across the nation to expand the E15 footprint and increase access to higher-level ethanol blends for American drivers. For more information, please contact Vice President of Market Development Mike O'Brien.
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