Pointing to war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, the Biden administration announced an emergency waiver allowing summertime sale nationwide of E15, a higher blend of ethanol into gasoline than the traditional 10 percent. This is the third year in a row for E15 waivers; otherwise, the fuel would be banned in two-thirds of the nation from June 1 to Sept. 15 as a precaution against smog.
“Allowing E15 sales during the summer driving season will increase fuel supply, while supporting American farmers, strengthening our nation’s energy security, and providing relief to drivers across the country,” said EPA administrator Michael Regan on Friday.
Legislation for year-round sales has made little headway in Congress. The White House began summertime waivers for E15 in 2022, after a U.S. appeals court voided a Trump-era regulation for summer sales.
Farm groups and the ethanol industry cheered the latest E15 waiver. “This waiver is good news for corn growers and those in rural America who will benefit economically from this decision and for consumers who will save money at the pump during a busy travel season,” said Minnesota farmer Harold Wolle, president of the National Corn Growers Association. The American Coalition for Ethanol said the administration “has rightly exercised emergency authority” while urging Congress to pass legislation to make E15 available year-round across the country.
In February, the EPA approved a petition from the governors of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin for year-round sales of E15 in the Midwest, beginning in 2025.
A record 1.1 billion gallons of E15 were sold in 2023, up 8 percent from the previous year, thanks to competitive prices and the growing number of fuel stations that sell the blend, said the trade group Renewable Fuels Association.