Donald Trump
Donald Trump repeatedly mentions his support for corn-based ethanol fuel during his speeches in Iowa, but on Thursday his campaign website briefly called for getting rid of regulations that are part of the federal ethanol production mandate.
The Trump campaign has called the post an error.
A fact sheet posted on Trump’s website initially called for getting rid of a credit system that’s called RIN. It lets refiners that do not meet renewable fuel production requirements buy or trade with other refiners for those credits. That helps them meet the production mandate.
The original Trump post said it was among the regulations Trump wanted to repeal as president, because it penalizes small and medium-sized refineries that do not meet the biofuel production standard. The fact sheet was edited. References to the ethanol credit program were deleted.
Trump’s campaign spokesman issued a statement calling Trump’s commitment to the Renewable Fuels Standard “unshakable and unchanging.”
Eric Branstad, state director for Trump’s campaign, worked for a renewable fuels industry PAC during the Iowa Caucus campaign and Branstad’s father, Governor Terry Branstad, has been a long-time and active advocate of the RFS.