TOPEKA, Kan. — Consumers nationwide will continue to enjoy access to E15 gasoline, which features a higher ethanol blend, throughout the summer months. This decision, announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is expected to provide some financial relief at gas stations. However, environmental groups have expressed concerns, arguing that the higher ethanol blend could compromise both air and water quality.
The emergency waiver from the EPA alleviates the necessity for most states’ retailers to cease E15 sales starting May 1. Although the current waiver is valid until May 20, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has indicated a commitment to extending such waivers through September 15. This date aligns with when the federal government usually reinstates E15 sales across all states.
Presently, the majority of gasoline distributed in the U.S. is mixed with 10% ethanol. Nevertheless, blends containing 15% ethanol are gaining popularity, especially in the Midwest, where a significant portion of the nation’s corn is produced. E15 gas tends to be at least 10 cents cheaper per gallon than the traditional E10, though it was previously restricted during summer months due to its potential for exacerbating smog issues during peak driving season.
Over recent years, the EPA has relaxed its stance, routinely granting temporary waivers in 2022, 2023, and 2024 to facilitate nationwide E15 sales through summer. Furthermore, in the previous year, the EPA greenlit year-round sales across eight Midwestern states, including Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
According to officials from the Trump administration, the latest move is anticipated to reduce fuel expenses and offer consumers additional choices. It also aligns with increasing demand for corn and aims to bolster the U.S.’s energy independence from foreign imports. “Our nation’s great corn growers are critical to helping the U.S. achieve energy independence, which is essential to national security,” commented Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
While Iowa representatives and the ethanol sector have celebrated the EPA’s recent measure, the Renewable Fuels Association has advocated for legislative action to ensure year-round E15 availability throughout the country. “For the economic and energy security benefits of E15 to be fully realized, the marketplace needs long-term certainty,” stated President and CEO Geoff Cooper.
Supporters from the biofuels industry and various political figures argue that ethanol not only supports the agricultural sector but also diminishes fuel costs and reduces greenhouse gas emissions since it burns cleaner than conventional gasoline. However, environmentalists raise concerns, noting that ethanol production consumes approximately 40% of the nation’s corn supply. They caution that this leads to increased fertilizer usage, a major contributor to water pollution.
Zack Pistora, representing the Sierra Club in Kansas, highlighted that ethanol plants demand significant water resources. With states like Kansas already troubled by aquifer depletion, Pistora criticized the portrayal of ethanol as environmentally sound and advocated for the advancement of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, public transportation, and sustainable farming practices. “We need to dramatically reduce our fossil fuel dependence, but relying on corn-based ethanol doesn’t put our country on the path it needs,” he remarked.