Eight states can begin the year-round sales of E15 beginning in 2025
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Fuel retailers in eight states can sell E15 year-round, but not until 2025.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled that beginning April 28, 2025, year-round sales of E15 are permitted in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
In April 2022, governors of those states lobbied the EPA under the Clean Air Act to remove the 1-psi volatility waiver, and successfully demonstrated that the waiver leads to increased emissions in their jurisdictions.
By law, the EPA had 90 days to approve the petition but didn’t propose an approval until March 2023.
Ag and renewable fuel groups are pleased with the EPA’s decision but are questioning the yearlong delay.
“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,” National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle said in a statement. “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 Renewable Fuels Association is expressing similar concerns.
Using E15 can save consumers around 60 cents per gallon at the pumps. And it can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50 percent compared to petroleum.
The 2024 driving season is approaching, so why not provide consumers, processors and farmers with certainty now?
“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?” Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the RFA, said in a statement. “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.”
The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of ethanol.
In 2021, America produced 15.02 billion gallons of ethanol, the Department of Energy says.
That’s enough ethanol to fill more than 30,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.
Brazil produced the next largest volume of ethanol at 7.43 billion gallons.