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NCGA
Hails Administration’s Intention to Deny the California Waiver
June
11, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact:
David J. Uchic, 202-628-7001
Mimi
Ricketts, Director of Marketing Communications, 636/733-9004, ext.112
WASHINGTON (June
11, 2001) -- The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today welcomes
the apparent decision by the Bush Administration to deny California’s
request to opt out of the federal RFG (reformulated gasoline oxygen
requirement). Although no official announcement has been made, NCGA
believes the denial will be unconditional.
The administration’s
decision to deny the waiver is a milestone victory for the ethanol industry
and for corn producers. NCGA’s technical analysis - which provided
the factual data to help secure this win - resulted from the cooperation
between state corn grower checkoff boards and NCGA. The returns on that
investment are apparent in this decision.
NCGA asserts this
decision is an unequivocal validation of the technical arguments it
has provided to the EPA during the last 18 months. NCGA’s analysis
determined that adding ethanol to California’s gasoline would improve
air quality and protect water resources. Demand for ethanol in California
will be approximately 580 million gallons annually. About 230 million
bushels of corn will be used to produce the ethanol needed by California
motorists. That amount of corn grind will boost corn prices by 10 to
15 cents per bushel, increasing the value of the nation’s corn
crop by as much as $1 billion.
Tim Hume, NCGA President-elect
and a Walsh, Colo., farmer, said: “The administration’s denial
of the waiver sends a clear message: The oxygen requirement is working
and is necessary for clean air. Corn growers have received the ‘green
light’ they have been waiting for, and are ready to make the investments
needed to expand ethanol production.”
For more information
about NCGA and this issue see www.ncga.com.
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