1st Quarter - Report · 2026

FUE — Fuel/Gas/Oil

Urged congressional leaders in a letter to swiftly pass legislation securing permanent, year-round access to E15 nationwide. Worked with the Treasury Department on a proposed rule that begins to provide ethanol producers and others more certainty and answers about how to claim the 45Z credit going forward, and urged Treasury to continue working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy to develop and finalize the tools necessary to achieve full monetization of farming practices, such as USDAs Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator (FD-CIC) and DOEs 45ZCF-GREET model. Hosted ACE members and ethanol producers at a Capitol Hill "Fly-In" where attendees met with Members of Congress, their staff, and Federal Agency officials including the Assistant Administrator for EPAs Office of Air and Radiation and Acting Administrator of USDAs Office of Energy & Environmental Policy. After the EPA finalized the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the 2026 and 2027 compliance years under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Set 2 Rule, including finalizing a 70% partial reallocation of the 2023-2025 granted small refinery exemptions (SREs), ACE advocated for strong final blending obligations for the 2026 and 2027 reflecting the full potential of the RFS and ensuring small refinery exemptions (SREs) do not erode demand for renewable fuels. ACE encouraged EPA to seriously consider higher volumes next year to account for any negative impact from SRE gallons not being fully reallocated and for potential E15 increases. Supported the introduction of an amendment to the House farm bill to enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends up to 15 percent (E15). Submitted comments to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service regarding proposed rules on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, emphasizing the need for timely implementation and further clarity to support ethanol producers and farmers. Supported S. 144/H.R. 1719, a bill to support sustainable aviation fuel through USDA programs. Supported H.R. 2188, the Comparison of Sustainable Transportation (COST) Act, a bill that directs the GAO and Energy department to compare the financial and environmental costs of replacing the federal vehicle fleet with either EVs or FFVs. Supported S. 2291, the Flex Fuel Fairness Act, a bill to provide auto manufacturers incentives to produce FFVs. Supported S. 1422/H.R. 2867, the Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act, a bill to extend the 45Z Clean Fuel Production credit and restrict eligibility to domestically produced feedstocks. Supported S. 593/H.R. 1346, the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 to ensure permanent access to E15 nationwide. Enactment of S.2707 by Congress will avoid the need to rely on emergency conditions in the market and ad hoc EPA decision making in the future. Supported H.R. 2188, the Comparison of Sustainable Transportation (COST) Act, a bill to direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and U.S. Department of Energy to compare the financial and environmental costs of replacing the entire federal government fleets with either electric vehicles or Flex Fuel Vehicles. Opposed H.R. 311, the Restoring Fuel Market Freedom Act of 2025, a bill to repeal the alcohol fuels credit, biodiesel credit, sustainable aviation fuel credit, and clean fuel production credit, and other provisions.

Government entities lobbied: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); SENATE; Treasury, Dept of