Fly-in attendees to meet with Trump administration officials to emphasize key industry concerns.
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is formally announcing its 11th annual Washington, D.C. Fly-in and Government Affairs Summit will take place April 2-3.
Event registration and sponsorship opportunities are available at ethanol.org/events/fly-in.
“Ethanol producers are experiencing economic stress due to artificial limits on demand and we have more policy irons in the fire than ever before. Given these stakes, we encourage ethanol supporters to mark their calendars for the ACE fly-in and join us April 2 and 3 in D.C.,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “More than 100 new Members of Congress recently took their oaths of office and it is up to us to make sure they understand the importance and value of a strong U.S. ethanol industry.”
For more than a decade, nearly 300 unique individuals representing around 30 states have participated in ACE fly-ins, meeting with Members of Congress and top Administration officials.
Past participants include ethanol company investors and management; corn farmers; scientists; and fuel marketers and gas station owners. Last year’s fly-in included remarks and Q&A from Bill Wehrum, EPA assistant administrator for air and radiation, as well as Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa.
“We’ve found that our most successful fly-ins strike a balance between Hill visits with our champions and with Members of Congress who may be new or live outside the Corn Belt,” said Shannon Gustafson, ACE senior director of operations and programming. “Personal stories go a long way on Capitol Hill; Members of Congress and staff will take note of a person who travels to Washington, contributing personal time and expense to a cause. Without events like the ACE fly-in, it only becomes easier for staffers and Members of Congress to depersonalize issues and enact changes that could harm our industry.”
In 2019, fly-in attendees will meet with Trump administration officials to emphasize the importance of completing a legally defensible Reid vapor pressure (RVP) rule for E15 before the 2019 summer driving season and argue for reallocation of the waived gallons from the Renewable Fuel Standard through so-called hardship waivers for oil refiners. Participants will also advocate for increasing ethanol demand through low-carbon and high-octane policies.
The meetings will take place at the Liaison Capitol Hill hotel and on Capitol Hill. For more information about the event, please contact Shannon Gustafson at [email protected].
