Chairman Willis, Vice Chairman Daniels, Ranking Member Grim,

Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony in support of House Bill 773, which expands access to E15 gasoline to Ohioans and drivers across the country while traveling on the Ohio Turnpike. Growth Energy is the nation’s largest association of ethanol producers, representing 98 U.S. plants that each year produce more than 9.5 billion gallons of cleaner burning, renewable fuel, including five of Ohio’s seven biorefineries. We also represent groups such as the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, working with them and thousands of ethanol supporters across the country to bring better and more affordable choices at the pump, diversify our energy portfolio, create more energy jobs, and sustain family farms.

Today, 98 percent of all gasoline sold in the U.S. contains 10 percent bioethanol. E15, a lower cost fuel containing up to 15 percent bioethanol and approved for use in more than 96 percent of cars on the road today, is now available at more than 5,100 retail locations in 34 states. In Ohio, there are currently only 192 retail fuel locations selling E15; less than four percent of the state’s estimated 5,833 retail fuel locations offer E15. Compare this to Minnesota, with half of Ohio’s population, that has more than 500 retail locations offering E15.

That means, that while Ohio is among the top corn-growing and ethanol-producing states in the country, Ohioans do not have access to more affordable fuel options drivers in other Midwest states have, which is evident in the attached informational sheet recently shared with the U.S. House urging representatives to support pro-E15 legislation.

We applaud Representatives Williams and Klopfenstein for introducing HB 773, which would formally adopt a pro-E15 and pro-Ohio agriculture posture for rest stops and fuel retailers along Ohio’s Turnpike. This is especially important as Ohio corn farmers continue to face higher and higher input costs amid global trade uncertainty and lower commodity prices.

As Representative Williams said during the previous committee hearing, HB 773 “supports Ohio’s agricultural output without placing financial burdens on the state while also helping address the high fuel prices families across the Midwest continue to deal with.” Additionally, we agree with Representative Klopfenstein that the state can expand “access to E15 through one of Ohio’s most visible public-private partnerships: the Ohio Turnpike.”

HB 773 ensures the state of Ohio can do its part to support its agriculture community by promoting the expanded use of E15, a gasoline blend using a higher percentage of corn ethanol. We urge the committee to support this legislation as a means of supporting Ohio’s agriculture and ethanol industries, bolstering thousands of jobs and family farms across the state.

Given our experience with retailers around the country offering ethanol blends, we are happy to assist the committee with technical questions as it considers initiatives that help strengthen domestic demand for Ohio-raised corn and Ohio-made ethanol.

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