WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 25 EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin approved a temporary emergency waiver for the sale of nationwide E15 which he said aims to prevent fuel supply disruptions, while providing Americans with lower-cost options at the pump. 

The waivers for E15, which is gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol, will remain in effect from May 1 through May 20, the 20-day window being the maximum number of days allowed under the Clean Air Act for a waiver.

Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association in West Des Moines, told Farm World, “The legal framework for emergency waivers laid out in the Clean Air act is that the EPA has to determine there’s a supply shortage emergency. If they do so, they then have legal authority under the Clean Air act to take steps to increase supplies. The Clean Air act allows them to do that 20-days maximum. But if they determine that the supply emergency continues, they can simply do consecutive 20-day waivers throughout the entire summer. 

“In their statement, the EPA suggested that that was likely,” he added. 

The EPA said the emergency fuel waiver will temporarily waive the summer low volatility requirements and blending limitations for gasoline to provide additional flexibility to the fuel marketplace. 

According to the EPA, low volatility requirements, often referred to as summertime gasoline standards, are regulations designed to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that the agency said contribute to ground-level ozone (smog). These regulations limit the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) of gasoline, which measures how easily fuel evaporates. 

“This will increase fuel supply and provide a variety of gasoline fuel blends to choose from without changing environmental protections already in place,” the EPA said in a March 25 media statement. “E15 is currently offered at over 3,000 gas stations nationwide, where it serves as a more affordable choice for Americans. Without this action, E15 gasoline cannot be used by roughly half of the country this summer.”

Shaw said the E15 waiver is essential for both farmers and consumers: “At a time when fuel prices continue to rise, E15 offers greater domestic energy security and meaningful savings at the pump. Today, corn production is outpacing demand, and the waiver helps maintain current demand, and I want to emphasize maintain, not increase. 

“This waiver is only a temporary measure,” he said. “To truly grow demand and deliver long-term savings for consumers, fuel retailers want to know they can sell E15 all 12 months of the year, every year. Congress needs to take action and make year round E15 permanent.”

While the emergency waiver will keep current E15 stations pumping the higher blend, he said there is a continued need for a permanent E15 fix to spur expanded ethanol demand: “President Trump has done what he can for consumers and E15, but the emergency waiver is a temporary solution. Only Congress can provide a permanent E15 fix, and it’s about time for them to act.” 

He said new retailers won’t offer E15 without the certainty they can sell the home-grown fuel all 12 months of the year: “Consumers deserve the lower-cost option of E15. Farmers need the added demand from more ethanol use. and our country needs every drop of ethanol possible as the current conflict in the Middle East hits home of the cost of dependence on countries that don’t like us much. Congress must act quickly to pass year-round, nationwide E15.” 

Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president, agreed, saying in a March 25 media statement, “Biofuels play an important role in meeting America’s energy needs and are a win-win for farmers and drivers. E15 gasoline saves consumers 10 to 30 cents per gallon at the pump, and creates markets for American-grown crops. 

“Permanent sales of E15 blends would increase demand for corn by roughly 2.4 billion bushels a year,” he added. “This is a bipartisan opportunity for Congress to work together to benefit America’s families and rural communities.”