Midwest
Gasoline with higher blends of ethanol to be sold in 8 Midwestern states year-round
- The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a final rule permitting drivers in eight Midwestern states to use a higher blend of ethanol year-round.
- The fuel additive consumes roughly 40% of the nation’s corn crop, and higher sales of ethanol could mean greater profits for farmers.
- The rule, which takes effect in April 2025, will apply in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Drivers in eight Midwestern states will be able to fuel up with a higher blend of ethanol throughout the year under a final rule announced Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The biofuels industry and farming groups, with support of Midwest governors, sought the end of a summertime ban on sales of gasoline blended with 15% ethanol for years. The higher blend has been prohibited because of concerns it could worsen smog during warm weather.
The move reflects the importance of ethanol to agriculture. The fuel additive consumes roughly 40% of the nation’s corn crop, so higher sales of ethanol could mean greater profits for corn farmers.
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The rule, which takes effect in April 2025, will apply in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Those states grow the bulk of the U.S. corn crop and are home to much of the nation’s ethanol production.
A sign about ethanol hangs on a fuel pump at Capital Mini Mart in Belmont, Wisconsin. Drivers in eight Midwestern states will be able to fuel up with a higher blend of ethanol throughout the year under a final rule announced on Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency. (Mark Hirsch/Getty Images)
The EPA said it delayed implementation of the new rule because of concerns there wasn’t enough supply to meet demand this summer. Ethanol producers welcomed the change but criticized the EPA for that delay.
GUTFELD DIGS INTO CORNY POLITICAL CONCERNS ABOUT ETHANOL
“While we are pleased to see EPA has finally approved year-round E15 in these eight states, we are extremely disappointed by the agency’s needless decision to delay implementation until 2025,” the Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group, said in a statement. “It’s helpful to finally have some certainty about 2025 and beyond, but what happens this summer?”
Most gasoline sold across the country is blended with 10% ethanol, though 15% blends are becoming increasingly common, especially in the Midwest. E15 summer sales still will not be allowed in most of the country during summer, though agricultural groups are pushing for a nationwide policy change.
The biofuels industry and politicians of both parties have portrayed ethanol as a product that helps farmers, reduces prices at the pump and lessens greenhouse gas releases because the fuel burns more cleanly than straight gasoline. However, environmentalists and others have said increased ethanol production can increase carbon releases because it results in more corn production, leading to increased use of fertilizer and greater releases of nitrate. Synthetic and natural fertilizers also are a leading source of water pollution.
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The EPA has approved sales of E15 for cars and trucks manufactured after 2000. Growth Energy, another bioenergy trade association, estimates the higher blend will cost consumers 15 cents a gallon less than 10% ethanol.
Petroleum refiners have opposed the Midwest-specific rules, saying a special blend in one region would increase costs and could lead to tighter fuel supplies.
The American Petroleum Institute, a trade group, said a national standard was needed.
“We are concerned this piecemeal approach could weaken the resiliency of the region’s fuel supply chain,” Will Hupman, a vice president at the group said in a statement. “We continue to call on Congress to pass the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which would bring much needed consistency to the marketplace by allowing for the year-round sale of E15 nationwide, preserving access to E10 and eliminating the need for regional or state-specific waiver petitions.”
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A.J. Hinch on Tigers win vs Yankees: ‘Gutsy’ game by Keider Montero
Manager A.J. Hinch on Detroit Tigers win vs Yankees in New York on Wednesday, July 1: ‘Gutsy’ game by Keider Montero
ARLINGTON, TX – The Texas Rangers pounded Detroit Tigers starter Framber Valdez and then kept the onslaught going against the Tigers bullpen in a 10-4 victory at Globe Life Field on Thursday, July 2.
The Rangers scored five runs off Valdez in five innings – and it would have been far worse but the Tigers played some great defense behind him.
Meanwhile, Texas starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi looked like he was going to have a no-hitter, retiring the first nine Tigers and not giving up a hit until the fifth.
Then, everything switched. Colt Keith, who broke up the no-no, and Hao-Yu Lee homered off Eovaldi, as the Tigers tried to come back. The Tigers (37-50) had several chances late against the bullpen of the Rangers (45-43), but they couldn’t get the big hit at the big moment, stranding five runners in the sixth and seventh innings.
At the plate: Cold start in Texas heat for Tigers
Eovaldi came into the game with wins in his last three starts.
Make it four.
Eovaldi baffled the Tigers early, striking seven of the first nine Tigers. It was a masterful start of the game for someone who came into the game with a season-high of nine strikeouts. Eovaldi’s no-hitter lasted into the fifth inning until Keith hammered an 0-2 cutter for his sixth homer of the year.
That seemed to loosen things up for the Tigers. Zach McKinstry slapped a single. Then, Lee blasted a ball to left field. Alejandro Osuna, the Rangers left fielder, jumped up at the wall and appeared to rob it. But he couldn’t hold onto it, as Lee had a two-run homer.
Suddenly, the Tigers cut the Rangers lead to 5-3.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the sixth, but right-handed reliever Peyton Gray struck out Lee.
The Tigers threatened again in the seventh, putting two on but couldn’t score.
On the mound: Defense helps out Framber Valdez
The Rangers came out swinging against Valdez. And they didn’t miss many. Only three in fact.
Valdez gave up five hits in the first two innings, not to mention a walk with the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly and a homer by Elias Díaz.
It would have been far worse, but Kerry Carpenter came to the rescue with his defense. In the first inning, the Rangers had runners on first and second when catcher Kyle Higashioka drilled a ball into the right-center gap – 102.2 mph off the bat. It looked like two runs. Easy.
But Carpenter played it perfectly. He broke on the ball, sprinting full speed toward the wall, covered a country mile (OK, maybe it just looked that way), reached out at the last second with his backhand and snagged the ball, just as he reached the warning track.
It was a fantastic play, stranding two runners and saving two runs.
Then, the Rangers stranded two more in the second inning.
So, even though Texas had a 3-0 second-inning lead, it could have been far worse.
Then, Carpenter made another fine play in the third inning. He ran up on a blooper, fielded the ball and threw out a runner at second, preventing another big inning.
In fact, the Tigers’ defense was great all around. There was McKinstry, diving for a line shot followed by Lee making a great play at second. And Kevin McGonigle had a fantastic play at third.
Right-hander Beau Brieske, who was called up on Wednesday when Will Vest was placed on the injured list, pitched the sixth. He gave up a monster homer to Josh Smith, who pounced on a first-pitch fastball.
Then, the Rangers put up three more runs against lefty Drew Sommers, who didn’t record an out.
Next up: Taking a break for soccer
The Tigers are off on Friday because of a World Cup game across the way at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Australia –.which had a vocal contingent of fans in the Globe Life stands Thursday – facing Egypt in the Round of 32 in the afternoon.
The Tigers’ series vs. the Rangers resumes Saturday (4:05 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) with right-hander Jack Flaherty (1-8, 4.97) on the mound for the Tigers, while right-hander Kumar Rocker (2-6, 3.83) will start for the Rangers.
The game will be played indoors, much to the chagrin of Hinch.
“I think our players should have to play outside in Texas one time in their career, so they know what it was like,” Hinch said before the game. “There’s nothing like coming here in the middle of the summer. Now we have a nice little push roof to keep everybody cool.”
The Rangers played outdoors in Arlington from 1972 (when they moved to Texas from Washington) to 2019, when Globe Life Field opened.
Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.
Video circulating this week shows masked federal agents in Milwaukee arresting people. City leaders say the face coverings violate a city ordinance — but whether federal agents are required to follow local ordinances is a legal question that may ultimately be decided by a federal judge.
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Local attorney Russell Jones said the answer depends on the specific ordinance and what federal authorities are doing.
“The issue becomes whether or not the local ordinances interfere with the operations of the federal officers acting under federal law. If it does, federal law will supersede it. Right, it’s the supremacy clause of the Constitution. If it doesn’t interfere with their operations, then typically they will follow those ordinances. So that’s really the question: do the ordinances interfere with the legitimate operations of the federal agency?” Jones explained.
For the past week, masked federal agents have been seen in Wisconsin arresting people they say are in the country illegally.
Watch: Do federal agents have to follow Milwaukee’s face covering and park ordinances?
Do federal agents have to follow Milwaukee’s face covering and park ordinances?
Galo Suarez described one encounter.
“They broke our side window, and they told us that if we didn’t comply, we would face several heavy consequences,” Suarez said.
Images have also surfaced of what appear to be federal agents in Milwaukee County parks.
Federal agents wearing masks and being in county parks, according to city and county leaders, are against local ordinances.
Milwaukee’s city ordinance prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings. A Milwaukee County ordinance prohibits any law enforcement agency from using a park as a staging area without a permit.
When asked whether a resolution to the legal question was possible now, Jones said it likely falls to the courts.
“That’s a question that eventually probably some federal judge will answer,” Jones said.
Before the city’s face covering ordinance was passed, City Attorney Evan Goyke wrote in a memo that “it is legal and enforceable.”
Enforcement of the ordinance would fall to Milwaukee Police, who earlier this week said they have “requested a formal written legal opinion from the city attorney’s office regarding the ordinance’s applicability and enforceability.” TMJ4 News reached out to Goyke on this and is waiting to hear back.
ICE has already stated it “will not abide by unconstitutional bans,” noting that “ICE officers wear face coverings for one reason: to protect themselves and their families from real-world threats including agitators.”
Jones said the practical challenge of enforcing a local ordinance against federal officers adds another layer of complexity.
“Enforcing a local ordinance right is typically done with an arrest or issuing a ticket, and certainly arresting ICE officers would interfere with their operations,” Jones added. “Ultimately, a federal judge will decide if these ordinances interfere with federal operations, and if they do, they will be superseded by federal law, and if they don’t, then ICE would likely have to follow them.”
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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As we approach America’s 250th birthday, patriotism is running high. Minnesota has a long history with a deep sense of patriotism. In the 1860s as the county was divided over slavery, young Minnesota men stepped up and volunteered to defend and fight for the principles the United States was established on. Local author and historian Hampton Smith tells the stories of patriotism through letters written by soldiers. FOX 9’s Randy Meier has more.
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