(Des Moines, IA) -- Seven Midwest governors are pushing for year-around sales of E-15 fuel. The governors have sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan.
Monte Shaw of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says oil refiners blocked year-round sales nationally. He says the Clean Air Act gives governors the option of coming up with a state-level solution.
"We're saying if DC doesn't act, we can do things to put E15 in front of consumers and help them save money," said Shaw.
Dear Administrator Regan:
Our states lead the nation in the production of low-carbon ethanol, and we have witnessed firsthand the important environmental, economic, and social benefits generated by a healthy and thriving renewable fuels industry. Thus, we were extremely disappointed by the recent D.C. Circuit Court decision overturning the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 regulation that finally facilitated year-round sales of E15 (gasoline blended with 15% ethanol) in conventional gasoline markets.1 Fuel marketers and retailers, renewable fuel producers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state governments have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to expand consumer access to low-cost, clean-burning fuels like E15. Not only does the recent court decision threaten to strand these public and private investments, but it also jeopardizes the progress we’ve made toward cleaning up our fuel supply and reducing emissions from transportation.
In the wake of the court decision, we are exploring all of our options to ensure retailers are able to sell E15 to consumers all year long without interruption. It is our understanding that the EPA Administrator has the authority under Section 211(h) of the Clean Air Act to promulgate regulations that would put E10 and E15 on equal footing with regard to volatility limitations, thus re-opening the door to unencumbered, year-round sales of both fuels.
To see the entire letter click HERE.
States signing onto the effort include: Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.