EPA issues emergency E15 waiver

Corn growers and ethanol refiners praised the March 25 announcement by Lee Zeldin, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, that EPA is granting an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 (i.e., gasoline with 15% ethanol added) to be used during summer driving.

He also removed all federal impediments to selling E10, gasoline blended with 10% ethanol, across the country. Corn growers and ethanol refiners have urged the moves, which environmentalists have resisted because ethanol is more volatile in summer heat.

“As required by the Clean Air Act, EPA and DOE evaluated the current situation and determined that granting the waiver was in the public interest,” the EPA said on its website.  Only Congress; however, can make year-round E15 permanent.

The moves also come at a time of increase pressure on oil and gas prices due to the conflict with Iran.

“EPA is working with our federal partners to reduce unnecessary costs and uncertainty and ensure that gas prices remain affordable for all Americans through the summer. This emergency action will provide American families with relief by increasing fuel supply and consumer choice,” Zeldin said. “President Trump has prioritized ensuring American families have an affordable domestic energy supply.”

Justifiable waiver
The American Coalition for Ethanol’s CEO Brian Jennings said, “If ever there were justifiable conditions to merit an emergency waiver for E15, it would be now as fuel prices have skyrocketed from war with Iran and a historical oil market disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. We welcome the Trump administration’s action, which will help consumers access a significantly less expensive fuel, shielding drivers from Middle East fuel price volatility.

Jennings added, “Despite this action, Congress must still act quickly. ACE made year-round E15 access a top priority during our DC Fly-In this month, and we’re grateful to our members and congressional champions who continue to advocate on this issue. Enactment of E15 legislation has recently been held hostage by a handful of small and mid-sized oil refiners trying to line their pockets at the expense of American consumers and farmers. Instead of letting these disingenuous concerns by a small subset of refiners, some whom are Fortune 500 companies, stall action, Congress should stand with the supermajority of oil refiners who have united with agriculture, biofuel, and fuel retail groups in favor of bipartisan action from Congress on year-round E15.”

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said, “With geopolitical conflict roiling energy markets worldwide, we applaud President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for acting quickly and decisively to combat potential fuel shortages and help keep a lid on gas prices this summer. Today’s action will allow maximum flexibility and fuel fungibility in the marketplace, which is exactly what the supply chain needs right now. We also appreciate the efforts of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, several Midwest governors, and the many ethanol supporters in Congress who worked together to promote continued access to E15.”

Klobuchar calls for year-round sales
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, said, “I called for the administration to allow for year-round sales of E15 in order to bring down prices at the pump and support our farmers. As consumers and farmers are facing higher costs because of the war in Iran, this is an important step to provide some relief. Every cent saved at the pump can make a real difference. We now must take action in Congress to ensure energy security in the long term and pass my bipartisan legislation to permanently allow for the sale of nationwide, year-round E15.”

In 2023, Klobuchar and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to make E15 available year-round. The Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023 would enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10%, helping to lower fuel prices and provide certainty in fuel markets for farmers and consumers.

Money-saving
The lower-cost, American-made E15 blend is legally approved for use in more than 95 % of vehicles on the road today, according to the EPA. Drivers typically save 10 to 40 cents per gallon when filling up with E15, saving the typical household hundreds of dollars on their annual fuel bill.

The EPA took similar emergency action in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, and the EPA allowed retailers to continue selling E15 in 2021 following an adverse court decision in a lawsuit brought against President Trump by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers.

RFA had urged the White House on March 9 to take action earlier than usual to allow summertime sales of E15, among other steps, to help blunt the effects of Mideast turmoil on American consumers. As of the morning of March 25, E15 had been selling an average of 28 cents per gallon less than regular gasoline, an 8.6% discount, according to real-time tracking at RFA’s website reporting prices of ethanol blends.

While EPA’s announcement is good news for American families, a permanent legislative solution allowing year-round E15 is still needed, Cooper said.

“For the economic and energy security benefits of E15 to be fully realized, the marketplace needs stability and long-term certainty,” he said. “Consumers, fuel producers, and farmers alike desperately need Congress to pass legislation that would deliver permanent year-round access for E15 and finally break the cycle of ad hoc, stop-gap emergency waivers.”

American voters have also registered overwhelming support for permanent, year-round access to E15. A survey of more than 2,000 registered voters, taken by Morning Consult, indicates that 71%  of those polled support efforts to increase the availability of E15, up two percentage points from a December survey. And two-thirds of voters (66%) support the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, up three points from December.

Of voters expressing an opinion, 85% support the U.S. increasing the availability of E15 to help lower fuel prices and support energy independence, and 82 percent support the E15 legislation.

David Murray can be reached at [email protected].