Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed new legislation this week that contains provisions to increase consumer access to E15 fuel in the state, boost higher blend ethanol tax credits, improve the NextGen program and cut red tape for food trucks.
During the signing event, Governor Pillen hosted a food truck from Norfolk at the Governor’s Residence to drive home the benefits contained in the new law. “This is a great day for agriculture in Nebraska,” said Gov. Pillen. “It gives drivers more choices as to what fuel they buy, improves a program to help new farmers and provides clarification for a growing industry that is catching fire across communities large and small – food trucks.”
Nebraska ranks second in the nation for ethanol production but comes in 45th for its ethanol blend rate. The bill will make it possible for more consumers to fill up with E15 at their local fuel retailers, while providing fuel retailers a boost in tax credit for each gallon of higher blended ethanol sold.
“Nine out of 10 fuel retailers in Nebraska will be able to offer E15 without expensive upgrades to their fuel infrastructure and dispensing system,” said Reid Wagner, Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) executive director. “The framework created through LB562 offers a pathway to increase access to higher blends while minimizing costs to fuel retailers and maximizing savings for consumers.”
Ethanol organizations thanked Gov. Pillen for signing the new law. “It’s safe to say this new law is a win for drivers, a win for agriculture and a win for all of Nebraska,” said Dawn Caldwell, executive director, Renewable Fuels Nebraska. “In addition, it gives Nebraska’s renewable fuel producers, our farmers, our workers, our engineers and our innovators the chance to keep doing what they do best – fueling our communities, our state and our country.”
“This new law will help Nebraska families save money on a fuel choice that is also good for their state’s economy and environment,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “The use of lower-cost E15 has been shown to provide emissions reductions as well as cost savings, and the use of more American-made ethanol supports thousands of jobs in Nebraska and across America’s heartland.”
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Chief Marketing Officer Ron Lamberty said, “This incentive should encourage marketers to look past all the misinformation about high equipment costs to sell E15 and find out most of their current equipment is already E15 compatible. We should see more Nebraska stations selling E15 in a short period of time, and when drivers try E15, they like it and keep using it.”