EPA said Thursday it will lift seasonal restrictions on the sale of higher-ethanol fuel in eight Midwestern states beginning in the summer of 2025, granting a 2-year-old request from governors.
The decision, in the form of a final rule, marks only a partial victory for biofuel groups that had asked EPA to let the change take effect this summer. Instead, those groups await a possible emergency waiver from the Biden administration that could make the 15 percent ethanol blend called E15 available this summer across the country.
The Renewable Fuels Association, representing ethanol producers, called the decision a “double-edged sword” that creates uncertainty about which fuel will be available this summer. E15 is generally less expensive at the pump, and advocates say expanding availability would save consumers money.
EPA said in the final rule, to be published in the Federal Register, that making the change would reduce emissions that contribute to atmospheric ozone.
in the final rule
Federal Register
