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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Monday (April 28) that consumers across the United States will be able to purchase E15 gasoline this summer. This decision aims to provide a cheaper option at the pump, though it raises environmental concerns. E15 gasoline, which contains 15% ethanol, generally costs at least 10 cents less per gallon than the more common E10 blend.
The EPA's emergency waiver, effective until May 20, prevents retailers from halting E15 sales on May 1. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin indicated plans to continue issuing waivers through September 15, when E15 sales typically resume nationwide. The waiver aims to reduce consumer costs, increase corn demand, and decrease reliance on imported energy.
The push for year-round E15 sales continues, with Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and other officials urging Congress to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025. This legislation would amend the Clean Air Act to allow E15 sales year-round, as reported by the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
E15 gasoline is approved for use in light-duty vehicles made after 2001, but regulations limit its summer sale due to concerns about smog. The EPA has issued waivers in previous years to allow summer sales, and in 2024, it approved year-round sales in eight Midwestern states. The Renewable Fuels Association and other groups argue that permanent nationwide access to E15 would provide economic benefits and energy security.
While the ethanol industry and officials from Iowa, a major corn producer, support the EPA's action, environmentalists express concerns. They argue that increased corn production for ethanol leads to higher fertilizer use, a significant source of water pollution.