EPA said Friday it will temporarily lift summer restrictions on the sale of higher ethanol fuel, citing potential oil price spikes related to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The summertime waiver, for the third year in a row, hands a victory to the ethanol industry, which continues to press policymakers to allow sales of 15 percent ethanol fuel year-round on a permanent basis.
“Allowing E15 sales during the summer driving season will increase fuel supply, while supporting American farmers, strengthening our nation’s energy security, and providing relief to drivers across the country,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a news release.
The Biden administration’s move was widely expected, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack — an ethanol ally — signaled in recent weeks that such a decision was likely.
