(WASHINGTON D.C.) — On Thursday, after rumors circulated earlier in the week, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that it was approving a petition by eight Midwest governors to approve the sale of E-15 gasoline year-round. However, EPA is delaying the implementation until 2025 as was previously rumored.
It was nearly two years ago that the Governors of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, used their authority under the Clean Air Act to petition the EPA for the removal of the 1-psi volatility waiver for E10. That would pave the way for use of E15 year round in those states. EPA, by law, had 90 days to approve the petition when it was formally submitted.
Groups such as Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, ACE and others are reacting to the news out today from the EPA. You can view their responses below. We will continue to update this story as it develops.
RFA: EPA Decision on Governors’ E15 Petitions a ‘Double-Edged Sword’
The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision today to approve long-delayed petitions from eight Midwest governors allowing summertime sales of E15 is a double-edged sword for American consumers, the Renewable Fuels Association said. On one hand, the EPA decision finally allows retailers in these eight states to sell E15 year-round. But on the other hand, it delays implementation until 2025, creating uncertainty and confusion about the availability of lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 this coming summer. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper offered the following reaction to today’s EPA decision:
“While we are pleased to see EPA has finally approved year-round E15 in these eight states, we are extremely disappointed by the Agency’s needless decision to delay implementation until 2025. It’s helpful to finally have some certainty about 2025 and beyond, but what happens this summer? The Biden administration missed its statutory deadline to finalize the governors’ petition by more than 500 days, and now it claims there just isn’t enough time to implement the rule in time for summer 2024. Why should ethanol producers, farmers, fuel retailers, and consumers in these states be penalized for EPA’s foot-dragging and failure to meet a clear deadline? With the 2024 summer driving season just a few months away, we are urging the administration to take additional action that will ensure consumers have uninterrupted access to lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 this summer.”
Cooper also said RFA is urging Congress to adopt legislation that would resolve this issue permanently. “If Congress passed the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, we wouldn’t be in this situation. But a couple of stubborn East Coast refiners and their champions in the Senate continue to put up roadblocks to the enactment of this commonsense legislation that would slash emissions and reduce fuel prices for consumers. It’s time to lay aside parochial oil refiner interests and do what is right for the country.”
BACKGROUND
Nearly two years ago, eight Midwest governors used their authority under the Clean Air Act to formally petition the EPA for the removal of the 1-psi volatility waiver for E10. This action would reduce emissions and permanently level the playing field for E15 in their states. By law, EPA had 90 days to approve the Governors’ petition, yet the agency did not propose approval of the petition until March 2023.
This effort has long had broad support. Bipartisan legislation to allow permanent nationwide E15 (the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act) was introduced in the House in December 2022 and in the Senate in March 2023. The current legislative vehicle, the Nationwide Consumer and Retailer Choice Act, was introduced in the Senate in August 2023, the same month when the attorneys general of Iowa and Nebraska filed a complaint in federal court regarding EPA’s failure to meet its statutory deadline. And in December, a bipartisan group of 22 members of the House and Senate called on the White House to move quickly on the governors’ petition.
In his “state of the industry” presentation Tuesday at the National Ethanol Conference, Cooper stressed the importance of this issue. “E15 will not be the stabilizing market force we need until the summertime RVP barrier is permanently removed and the fuel is available year-round. Securing RVP parity for E15 remains a top priority for RFA and we won’t stop until we’ve accomplished that mission.”
Growth Energy Welcomes Finalized EPA Rule on Year-Round E15 for Eight Midwestern States
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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today after it finalized a rule granting the request made by eight midwestern states to sell E15 year-round. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement in response: “We commend EPA for finalizing its rule, and we thank the eight midwestern governors who have now successfully secured a future for year-round E15 in their states. This is a win for the residents of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and a win for biofuel producers and fuel retailers. “While this is great news, drivers will need a solution for this summer to minimize disruptions and make sure they have the same access to E15 that they’ve had for the past five summers. “E15 saves drivers money while helping them lower their carbon emissions. We look forward to working with policymakers to ensure that consumers can have permanent access to these benefits all year long.” About E15 E15 is a fuel blend made of gasoline and 15% bioethanol. EPA has approved its use in all cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) made in model year 2001 and newer—representing more than 96% of all vehicles on the road today. E15 can be found at over 3,400 gas stations across the country and to date, Americans have driven more than 100 billion miles on this fuel blend. Last summer drivers saved an average of 15 cents per gallon by filling up with E15 compared to regular, or E10. In some areas, E15 saved drivers as much as $.60 per gallon at the pump. Learn more about E15 here. |
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ACE Reaction to Biden Administration Approval of E15 Year-Round for 8 Midwest States Beginning in 2025
Corn Growers Welcome Decision by EPA on Access to Year-Round E15 While Calling for Legislation to Eliminate Nationwide Patchwork on Ethanol
The Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it will grant the request by eight Midwestern governors to allow the year-round sale of fuel with a 15% ethanol blend, or E15, in their states beginning in the summer of 2025.
The announcement was welcomed by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), which has been fighting to break down barriers to the environmentally friendly biofuels.
“We are glad to hear this decision from EPA, as it puts us on the road to providing more certainty to America’s corn growers and consumers who will save money at the pump,” said NCGA President and Minnesota Farmer Harold Wolle. “However, given that this decision will not take effect until the summer of 2025, we question and are concerned about the implications of the timeline for growers and consumers this summer.”
The sale of E15 has been banned during the summer months to meet federal clean air standards that have been shown to be unnecessary and outdated. The U.S. EPA has granted waivers over the last few years to allow drivers continued access to environmentally friendly and affordable E15.
Even after today’s announcement, NCGA says a permanent legislative fix is still needed.
“While we are pleased with today’s decision, we still need a law that codifies access to higher levels of ethanol and that eliminates the patchwork of state regulations on the issue,” said Wolle. “That is why we are pushing for the passage of the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act in the Senate to solve this issue once and for all.”
