Corn growers applaud EPA decision for year-round sale of E15
The Environmental Protection Agency announced 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 2025.
The eight states are Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
“After continuous delays by the EPA to allow year-round sales of E15 fuel, consumers across the country can finally look forward to lower-cost, cleaner-burning year-round E15 in 2025,” said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Nearly two years ago, I organized a bipartisan coalition of eight Midwest governors to join me in challenging the EPA’s refusal to allow E15 sales during summer months.
“As governor of the nation’s top ethanol producing state, I’m pursuing a waiver to continue offering drivers the option to purchase lower-cost, cleaner-burning E15 in Iowa this summer, and I won’t stop fighting for year-round E15 until it’s available nationwide.”
The above photo is corn field (Photo: iStock – zhengzaishuru)
Welcome news
The announcement was welcomed by the National Corn Growers Association, 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has been banned during the summer months to meet federal clean air standards that have been shown to be unnecessary and outdated, the NCGA said. The EPA has granted waivers over the last few years to allow drivers continued access to environmentally friendly and affordable E15.
More work needed
Even after the 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.”
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-KS, applauded the move by the EPA and the Biden administration.
“It’s great to see the administration finally embrace year-round sales of E15 for the Midwest. Higher blend ethanol fuels reduce carbon and tailpipe emissions and help us achieve our goal of a cleaner, safer environment,” Marshall said in a news release.
Marshall is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Ethanol production supports Kansas farmers, renewable fuel producers, and our oil and gas sector. The approval for these eight Midwest states is a great start, but I urge the administration to take the next step and approve year-round E15 sales nationwide.”
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
