Ethanol promoters invite you to E30 Day at the Capitol February 19
WATERTOWN — Glacial Lakes Energy invites South Dakotans to the Capitol to show their support for E30, a South Dakota-grown fuel, February 19, 2019.
Held in conjunction with South Dakota Farmers Union Legislative Day, Glacial Lakes Energy staff, shareholders and members will meet with legislators to provide information on E30, the locally grown and manufactured premium ethanol blend, proven safe for use in all vehicles.
The event begins at 9:30 in the Capitol Rotunda in Pierre. A free lunch will be held in the Rotunda at noon. At 2 p.m. all are invited to attend the General Legislative Session where a proclamation will be made to make February 19 E30 Day in South Dakota.
“There is no reason to sit around and wait for solutions for farmers to come from D.C. E30 is the homegrown, clean air solution to low commodity prices,” said Jim Seurer, CEO, Glacial Lakes Energy Cooperative.
Producing more than 250 million gallons of ethanol each year, Glacial Lakes Energy made the decision to advocate for E30 during legislative session 2019 following Governor Noem’s State of the State Address promise to fuel up the state’s fleet on E30.
“Governor Noem’s commitment shows drivers in South Dakota and across the nation our state’s confidence in the performance of E30,” explained Marcy Kohl, marketing director for Glacial Lakes Energy.
As confidence in E30 grows, so does demand for ethanol and in turn, millions of bushels of South Dakota corn. Kohl and Seurer witnessed this firsthand when in 2016, the Glacial Lakes Energy Cooperative launched the E30 Challenge in Watertown to motivate drivers to try Premium E30. In return for every gallon sold, GLE donated 30 cents to the local Boys and Girls Club.
At the same time, Glacial Lakes Energy shared testimonials from drivers who tried Premium E30. “We can talk all day long, but if your neighbor says they had a good experience, that carries weight,” Seurer said.
Consumption of E30 is up by 600 percent in Watertown. In 2018, GLE launched the E30 Challenge in Aberdeen with similar results.
“To date, drivers in the Watertown and Aberdeen have put on more than 80 million miles using E30 and there have not been any performance issues,” Kohl said. “We track the numbers, and even after the E30 Challenge, we have not seen a decrease in drivers fueling up with E30.”
Supporting South Dakota’s farmers together
A proponent of the ethanol industry since the beginning, South Dakota Farmers Union has actively advocated for higher ethanol blends for many years, making it a focus of their grassroots state and national policy. So, Seurer says it was only natural to ask if they could join the organization in Pierre.
“Farmers Union has been a strong partner in helping us advocate for higher ethanol blends because it’s good for South Dakota’s family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. And, let’s not overlook the clean air and health benefits,” explained Seurer, pointing to a recent study conducted by the consulting group Life Cycle Associates, and commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association that finds greenhouse gas reductions from the use of biofuels has exceeded what the U.S. EPA has predicted by 37 percent.
No RSVP necessary
Both organizations invite all supporters of South Dakota’s ethanol and agriculture industry to Pierre, February 19. If you cannot make it for the entire day, please join them for lunch at noon in the Capitol Rotunda and the 2 p.m. General Legislative Session where a proclamation will be made to make February 19 E30 Day in South Dakota.
To learn more, contact Marcy Kohl at MKohl@glaciallakesenergy.com or call 605-882-8480.