US EPA’s Plan to Temporarily Expand Higher-Ethanol Gasoline Blend Sales
According to three sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will announce plans by Friday to temporarily expand sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline this summer. This move is a victory for the corn ethanol industry and is expected to boost demand for ethanol blends.
The proposed measure would extend Americans’ purchase of E15, a gasoline blend containing 15% ethanol, from June 1 to September 15. While adding ethanol to gasoline can increase smog pollution in hot weather, research has indicated little difference between E15 and the more widely available E10 blends.
The EPA has not yet commented on the announcement. The decision to expand E15 sales follows lobbying efforts from lawmakers such as Senator John Thune of South Dakota and Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. In a letter to President Joe Biden, they argued that expanding sales of E15 would enhance energy security amid unrest in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The Biden administration has previously allowed temporary summertime sales of E15 to stabilize gasoline prices. The Farm Belt, an influential constituency ahead of the presidential election, welcomed these decisions.
The corn lobby has long advocated for expanding year-round sales of E15, culminating in February when the administration approved a request from Midwestern governors to allow summertime sales of E15 in their states starting in 2025.
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