The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow gasoline blended with 15% ethanol to be sold this summer.
The move to let this E15 gasoline blend be sold came in the form of an emergency fuel waiver under the Clean Air Act, according to an April 28 news release. The emergency waiver will be in effect May 1-20, and will help reduce the country's reliance on imported fossil fuels.
“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to protecting Americans from fuel supply challenges resulting from the ongoing war in Ukraine by ensuring consumers have more choices at the pump,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in the release. "Allowing E15 sales during the summer driving season will not only help increase fuel supply, but support American farmers, strengthen U.S. energy security and provide relief to drivers across the country.”
In addition to reducing the U.S. dependence on fossil fuels, the waiver is expected to help build U.S. energy independence and support American agriculture and manufacturing, the release reported. Current estimates indicate that on average, E15 is about 25 cents a gallon cheaper than E10.
E15 gasoline can be sold in areas that have a Reformulated Gasoline program throughout the year, according to the release. In areas where it's only sold seasonally, the EPA is hoping by extending the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure waiver which applies to both E10 and E15 gasoline, it'll allow E15 to be sold throughout the entire summer.
The EPA doesn't believe air quality will be impacted by this emergency waiver, the release reported. Studies conducted by the agency haven't revealed any significant impact on evaporative emissions with E15, meaning consumers can use the gasoline-blend without worrying it will impact air quality.
The agency said it would continue to monitor the supply and anticipates the emergency waiver could be extended until the fuel supply issues associated with the war in Ukraine no longer exist, according to the release.
