The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is backing a proposal by eight Midwest governors that would ensure drivers in those states could have year-round access to fuel with 15% ethanol, even as it criticized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for delaying implementation of the plan.

The EPA proposed to implement a plan from governors in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin to require lower-volatility gasoline in their states so that there would be year-round access to fuel with 15% ethanol, commonly known as “E15,” according to the National Corn Growers Association.

The EPA proposed a delay of implementation for all states, until April 28, 2024, according to the EPA website.

A virtual public hearing for the proposed rule will be on Tuesday, March 21. Registration for the hearing may be made by sending an email no later than one week beforehand to RFS-Hearing@epa.gov.

“The National Corn Growers Association supported the governors’ plan and expressed serious concern over the one-year delay in implementation and the market uncertainty the delay creates for E15 in 2023,” the NCGA said.

NCGA President Tom Haag said that the eight Midwest governors took lawful action “to ensure their consumers could maintain access to low-cost, low-emissions E15.”

“These governors did the right thing, but EPA’s proposal delays this solution,” Haag said, according to the NCGA website. “Higher ethanol blends lower emissions, saves drivers money and allows for consumer choice. With the proposed delay in implementation, we now urge EPA to use existing authority to prevent a disruption in E15 availability this summer.”

Approved in 2011 by the EPA for use in 2001 and newer vehicles, E15 (marketed as Unleaded 88) “has been sold year-round for the past four years,” the NCGA said. E15 is a fuel blend of 85% gasoline and 15% ethanol, which is commonly made from corn, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“U.S. ethanol plants are concentrated in the Midwest because of the proximity to corn production,” the Department of Energy said. “Plants outside the Midwest typically receive corn by rail or use other feedstock and are located near large population centers.”

As a pure compound that’s 35% oxygen, ethanol “burns more cleanly and completely than gasoline,” the Renewable Fuels Association said.

“Using ethanol in the U.S. fuel marketplace helps lower gasoline prices by expanding gasoline supplies and reducing the need for importing expensive, high-octane, petroleum-based gasoline components or more crude oil from unstable parts of the world like the Middle East,” according to the Renewable Fuels Association.

Geoff Cooper, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO, according to Farm Journal, said that nothing justifies delaying action that “is already months overdue.”

“By law, EPA should have finalized approval of the governors’ petition more than seven months ago, which would have given the marketplace more than enough time to adjust and prepare for implementation this summer,” Cooper told Farm Journal.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators, led by U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) - who are members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry - sent a letter asking President Biden to allow the year-round sale of E15 this year.

“Taking early action on E15 will send timely and necessary signals across the energy supply chain so that fuel producers and retailers will have the certainty they need to ensure affordable, reliable and cleaner fuel options for American consumers throughout the year,” the senators wrote, according to a Thune's website. “Further, U.S. use of E15 will continue to displace Russian oil and finished gasoline products, ease domestic and global supply constraints and lower net domestic fuel prices.”

However, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) outlined several objections to the Midwest governors’ proposal. One of them was that rushing a decision on their petitions won’t help consumers, according to the association’s blog.

“The Biden administration should deny these petitions outright and, at least, guarantee a delay of implementation until after the 2023 summer driving season,” the AFPM blog said.