EAST MOLINE — Esther Joy King, Republican candidate for the Illinois 17th Congressional District, said U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos' criticism of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to deny oil refineries' request to not follow ethanol blending requirements will hurt Illinois farmers.
"Cheri's swipe at the EPA and the Trump Administration for standing with ethanol producers is a slap in the face to farmers and rural America.," King said. "She’s making this political, and it’s not about politics. This is supporting hard-working communities in the 17th Congressional District."
King said Bustos' stance is harmful to the industry and farmers in western Illinois who have been struggling with the impacts of trade barriers and the pandemic.
The Renewable Fuels Association says the EPA’s announcement to reject the waivers and to keep corn-based fuels available longer at the pump are a godsend.
King, who faces Bustos in the Illinois 17th Congressional District in the Nov. 3 General Election, said she supports the move to back ethanol.
Born homeless, Esther Joy King grew up in a converted school bus on the US-Mexico border with her Christian missionary parents. From her youngest days, Esther’s life has been about service and her desire to serve is a core element of her life.