WASHINGTON, D.C.—Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement after Iowa and Nebraska attorneys general filed a petition calling on the EPA to finalize the state opt out waiver that would allow retailers in their states to sell E15—a blend of gasoline and 15 percent ethanol—year-round.
“Last summer, American families found savings ranging from 16 cents to nearly a dollar per gallon by filling up with E15. Studies have also shown that E15 not only saves money at the pump; it delivers immediate benefits in the fight against particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and smog-forming pollutants.
“We commend Attorneys General Bird and Hilgers for their efforts to press EPA to finalize regulations implementing the states’ opt-out of the RVP waiver, a move that would ensure retailers in Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio have the certainty they need to provide this earth-smart, wallet-friendly fuel to drivers year-round.
“EPA needs to act now so that fuel retailers have the regulatory clarity they need to make investments and expand access to E15. We will continue our work with the states and EPA to ensure that consumers in these states will have year-round access to E15 for next summer. And we will continue our work with policy leaders in Congress to enact at nationwide fix that secures a permanent place at the pump for lower-cost, earth-friendly bioethanol blends.”
Background
Earlier this year, the governors of Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio sent letters to EPA calling for parity between E10 and E15 in their states through Section 211(h)(5) of the Clean Air Act, accompanied by research illustrating the benefits of E15 to air quality. After acknowledging receipt of the governors’ request, EPA proposed a rule in March 2023 to make the necessary regulatory changes to implement year-round sale of E15 in those states beginning for the summer of 2024.