Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is issuing an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 to be sold during the summer driving season. The action will help increase fuel supplies and give consumers a lower cost and cleaner choice at the pump. American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings issued the statement below following the announcement:
“ACE thanks EPA Administrator Michael Regan for responding to our requests by issuing a national emergency waiver for E15 this summer, a step which will save motorists considerable money at the pump and reduce pollution from vehicles.
“We are grateful EPA intends to issue new waivers effectively covering the 2023 summer season as it did in 2022, but a permanent remedy to expand consumer access for E15 long term is still necessary.
"This annual drama of threatened summertime E15 sales, followed by last-minute reprieves, has got to end. It's wearing on retailers selling E15 today and is a major reason more marketers aren't offering it. Consumers could be saving 5 to 15 cents per gallon and emissions could be reduced if Congress would fix the problem and pass legislation making E15 legal year-round."
ACE hosted a March DC fly-in where advocates pushed for this immediate emergency action with EPA Agriculture Advisor Rod Snyder and encouraged Congress to call on the Biden administration to issue an emergency waiver and support E15 legislation (H.R. 1608, S. 785). ACE also activated 140 of its grassroots members to call on President Biden and EPA Administrator Michael Regan to issue an emergency waiver ahead of the 2023 summer driving season.