The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the year-round sale of E15 fuel blends in eight Midwestern states beginning in 2025.
Those states, whose governors had petitioned the EPA as far back as April 2022 for approval to allow year-round E15 sales, are Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Even though Indiana isn’t among those eight states, the decision may give a boost to Indiana’s 14 ethanol production facilities.
Geoff Cooper, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says the delay until 2025 creates considerable uncertainty and confusion about the availability of lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 this coming summer.
“It’s helpful to have certainty about 2025, but what happens this summer?” Cooper asked. ”The [Biden] administration missed its statutory deadline to finalize the governors’ petition by more than 500 days, and now it claims there isn’t enough time to implement the rule in time for summer 2024.”
Cooper says he doesn’t understand why ethanol producers, fuel retailers, consumers, and farmers should be penalized for EPA’s foot-dragging.
“We want uninterrupted access this year,” he adds.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says it’s great news but notes, “Drivers will need a solution for this summer to minimize disruptions and make sure they have continued access to E15.”
The National Corn Growers Association is also glad to hear about the decision because it provides more certainty. “However, since it doesn’t begin until the summer of 2025, we are concerned about the implications for growers and consumers this summer,” says NCGA President Harold Wolle.
The American Coalition for Ethanol says the decision is “better late than never” but also says the EPA had a legal responsibility to approve E15 in those states more than a year ago.
Source: NAFB News Service