Photo courtesy Elite Octane, Atlantic, Iowa The EPA’s approval of year-round E15 on Friday coincided with the grand opening of the new Elite Octane ethanol plant in Atlantic, Iowa. The $195 million plant in southwest Iowa actually began operations in 2018 and is producing nearly 150 million gallons of ethanol per year. Brownfield visited with several of the dignitaries in attendance, including Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig; Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw; Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper; National Corn Growers Association first vice president and Iowa farmer Kevin Ross; EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford; and Elite Octane president and CEO Nick Bowdish.
