The EPA is taking a page out of last year’s playbook to allow for gasoline that uses a 15% ethanol blend — also known as E15 — to be sold during the summer driving season.
As they did in May of 2022, the EPA once again issued an emergency waiver to allow for E15 to be sold from terminals after May 1. Without the waiver, E15 can’t be sold from terminals starting May 1 and at retail stations starting June 1 in roughly two-thirds of the country.
According to biofuels producer POET, the federal regulations that limit the vapor pressure of gasoline during the summer ozone season were drafted before E15 was available. That means E15 is “effectively blocked from the marketplace during the summer months because of an unintended wrinkle in federal law, despite having lower evaporative emissions than standard summertime gasoline,” POET wrote.
Citing Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine as the primary driver for market supply issues impacting fuel prices, the EPA said the decision ensures Americans have choices at the pump.
EPA’s waiver will last for the statutory maximum of 20 days. EPA said it will continue to monitor fuel supplies and expects to issue new waiver extensions until “the extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances due to the war in Ukraine are no longer present.”
“Allowing for expanded E15 sales is a commonsense approach to easing the uncertainty caused by fuel supply challenges,” said Theresa Sisung, MFB industry relations specialist.
“The EPA's action allows drivers to continue having access to a fuel that cuts emissions while costing consumers less money at the pump.”
According to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), last year’s waiver resulted in nearly $60 million in savings for drivers during the summer months alone.
“U.S. gasoline inventories are even tighter than they were a year ago, and Putin’s war on Ukraine continues to wreak havoc on global fuel supplies,” RFA wrote. “EPA’s action allowing summertime E15 will help extend gasoline supplies, prevent fuel shortages, protect air quality and reduce carbon emissions.”
Source: michiganfarmnews.com
Photo Credit: shutterstock-dickgage
Categories: Michigan, Energy, Weather