Some ethanol interests are getting a little nervous about the oil industry ties of several Trump administration cabinet selections. Those include former Texas Governor Rick Perry for energy secretary, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt for EPA administrator and ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State.
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) issued a call-to-action to its grassroots membership last week, urging them to ask their senators to work during the confirmation process to get some reassurance that Pruitt will support ethanol. “We are asking ethanol supporters from all walks of life to contact their senators and vet Scott Pruitt properly, and make sure they are comfortable on where he stands on ethanol issues before casting a vote to confirm him to lead EPA,” says ACE Executive Vice President Brian Jennings in this interview: Interview with Brian Jennings, ACE
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen says in his opinion all that really matters is who is in charge. “While these people may not be strong ethanol advocates themselves…it’s the Donald J. Trump presidency and he has made it perfectly clear that he supports American energy and wants to see ethanol being used,” said Dinneen. “It’s going to be Scott Pruitt’s responsibility to implement Donald Trump’s agenda.” Interview with RFA CEO Dinneen
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who has accepted the position as Trump’s ambassador to China, says he has gotten assurances about Pruitt from the president-elect himself. During his weekly press conference last week, Branstad said he talked to Trump during his recent “Thank You” tour in Des Moines. “First thing Trump told me is ‘don’t worry about him, he’s going to be for ethanol.'” Gov. Branstad on Trump and RFS
Meanwhile, agriculture secretary is one of the very last cabinet level positions for the president-elect yet to announce a choice. The latest name in the news is Idaho Governor Butch Otter, after much speculation revolving around on Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and South Dakota Republican Kristi Noem, and earlier talk of Texas ag commissioner Sid Miller.