To prevent the disruption of fuel supplies, the Biden administration ought to announce an emergency waiver soon for the sale of E15 throughout the summer, like it did last year, said an ethanol trade group on Thursday. “We ultimately need a federal fix to air pollution laws to ensure year-round availability of the fuel,” said Emily Skor, chief executive of Growth Energy, during a teleconference.
President Biden announced an emergency waiver of the summer ban last April 11, saying it would help Americans cope with high gasoline prices. Skor said that ethanol makers and retailers were having “good conversations” with “the right people” for a waiver this summer. Otherwise, E15 sales would be barred from June 1 to Sept. 15 as a precaution against smog.
“We want this to come out in enough time,” she said.
Gasoline retailers Brad Peterson and Carson Berger joined Skor in calling for a waiver. “We saw a lot of customers shift” to lower-priced E15 last summer, said Peterson, director of retail fuels for the Kum and Go convenience store chain, based in Iowa. Berger, the chief executive of NUVU Fuels Michigan, which specializes in higher-blend biofuels and high-octane gasoline, said that “E15 is the most popular choice” among NUVU customers.
Peterson and Berger said they would prefer an administration decision well in advance of the summer driving season so they can line up fuel supplies. “The sooner, the better for us,” said Peterson.
E15 is sold at a comparatively small number of U.S. gas stations — fewer than 2 percent, according to an estimate last year. In 2021, a federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration had overstepped its authority in a 2019 regulation allowing summer sales of E15. The ruling ignited a scramble to maintain year-round sales and led to Biden’s decision on sales last summer.
“We believe this year should be no different,” said Skor. Bills are pending in the House and Senate that would require the use of higher-octane gasoline, which could be filled with increased use of ethanol. The Renewable Fuels Association said the Next Generation Fuels Act “would establish high-octane (95 and 98 RON) certification test fuels containing 20-30 percent ethanol, while requiring automobile manufacturers to design and warrant their vehicles to allow these fuels beginning with model year 2026.”