The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it will propose a rule allowing sales of gasoline with a higher ethanol blend in some Midwest states, starting with the summer 2024 driving season.
Some governors from corn-producing Midwestern states had asked the EPA to stop giving conventional E10 gasoline a partial waiver from volatility limits meant to curb air pollution, a move that would place E10 and E15 fuel on the same regulatory footing in their states and potentially encourage more sales of the higher-ethanol variety.
Proponents of the EPA's proposal believe higher E15 supply will ease pump prices and help farmers; an oil trade group representing refiners said implementing a new fuel blend could create problems including leaving the Midwest region with tighter fuel supplies during the peak summer driving season.
"Not every refinery, pipeline and terminal serving the Midwest has the ability to seamlessly produce, transport and store a new blend of gasoline, and it could take years to permit and complete infrastructure projects to resolve this," the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers said.
The Renewable Fuels Association said the biofuels industry is "frustrated and disappointed that the agency is proposing to kick the can on implementation until 2024," and the marketplace would have had "more than enough time to adjust and prepare for implementation this summer" if the Biden administration had responded to the governors' petition last year.
The Biden administration already moved to waive E15 from summer volatility requirements last year, allowing its sale in an attempt to cut gasoline prices.
Last year, at the urging of Ohio Farm Bureau, the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association and the Ohio Ethanol Producers Association, Gov. Mike DeWine asked the U.S. EPA to allow Ohio to implement the sale of E15 year-round.
Wednesday, the U.S. EPA did propose a rule that would allow sales of gasoline with a higher ethanol blend in certain midwest states, but noted that the rule would take effect in the summer of 2024, a year later than the governor had requested.
Brandon Kern, senior director of state and national policy with Ohio Farm Bureau, said, "This delay by the EPA would mean even fewer choices at the pump for Ohio consumers and takes one of the lowest cost options for fuel out of the equation this summer. Offering E15 throughout the year has given substantial relief to Ohioans' budgets when they have needed it most. We encourage EPA to reconsider their proposal and we appreciate Governor DeWine's efforts to offer E15 year round to help consumers at the pump and increase demand for corn farmers across Ohio."
Categories: Ohio, General