Trump finally reaches ethanol deal, but questions linger

President Trump emerged from Tuesday’s talks about the nation’s Renewable Fuel Standard with a deal that would satisfy both ethanol producers and oil refiners. Trump plans to increase the market for ethanol year-round. That will be done by allowing 15-percent ethanol fuels, or E15, to be sold all year and not subject to summer restrictions under Environmental Protection Agency rules. He also would boost ethanol exports, which have been harmed by Chinese retaliation to Trump’s tariffs, in a way that would increase ethanol credits for the refiners. The supply of credits would be increased, which would reduce the cost. In the past, exports would lose their renewable identification number credits when shipped overseas.Trump appeared to nix Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz’s plan for placing a cap on the price of ethanol credits.