Gov. Terry Branstad spent time during his weekly news conference Monday morning talking again about renewable fuels standards.

On Friday, the governor led a rally at an ethanol plant in Nevada to “defend the renewable fuel standard.”

The EPA recently announced plans to reduce the amount of ethanol required to be blended into U.S. gasoline.

Monday, Gov. Branstad says big oil is spending money lobbying and advertising against renewable fuels. He pointed to the 70s and 80s when the oil industry used a product called MTBE. Branstad says that ended up leaking into wells and poisoning water in California.

“The truth of the matter is they are trying to poison the well again. Against a product that is safe and reliable and has made a real difference,” says Branstad. “It’s grown and they see it as a threat because they don’t have control over it.”

Federal officials say Americans are using less gas, so less ethanol is needed.