Congress has reintroduced legislation that would allow E15 gasoline to be sold nationwide, year-round. Currently, the fuel grade is prohibited from being sold in the summer months due to alleged environmental concerns.
Led by Nebraska Republican Senator Deb Fischer and backed by bipartisan representatives, the bill was first introduced in 2023. According to Reuters, if the legislation is passed, it would nullify a request from Midwestern governors to expand E15 sales in their states.
“By allowing the year-round, nationwide sale of E15, this legislation will finally end years of patchwork regulations and give both producers and consumers the certainty they deserve,” said Rep. Fischer.
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), a long-time advocate for E15, welcomed the decision.
“We’re grateful to bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate for reintroducing this critically important legislation which would once and for all ensure nationwide and permanent E15 availability,” said ACE CEO Brian Jennings. “Support for year-round E15 is growing in Congress and we thank our biofuel champions for leading that effort. As the summer driving season quickly approaches, we will continue working with our Senate and House supporters to make E15 year-round a reality and are prioritizing this during our annual D.C. fly-in next month.”
If the bill is passed, the biofuels industry and corn farmers would be among the main beneficiaries.
Growth Energy, a biofuel trade association, mirrored ACE’s sentiment, with CEO Emily Skor noting “there’s a good reason to be optimistic.”
“Today, we have bipartisan, bicameral support from long-time biofuel champions who are continuing their push to bring consumer savings to drivers, and a president who has already prioritized consumer access to lower-cost fuel with E15,” said Skor. “This bill would bring long-overdue certainty to the marketplace, save consumers money, drive growth across the heartland, and reinforce American energy dominance.”
Cosponsors of the bipartisan, bicameral include:
- Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)
- Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.)
- Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
- Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)
- Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)
- Dick Durbin (D. Ill.)
- Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
- Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
- Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
- Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
- Tina Smith (D-Minn.)
- Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
“For our country to remain a global energy leader, we must continue to invest in renewable and clean energy so we can decrease our emissions and dependence on foreign oil,” said Senator Duckworth. “Producing less expensive fuel choices like E15 that can be sold year-round would help lower gas prices, protect the environment, support our farmers and drive economic opportunity throughout the Midwest. I’m proud to join Senator Fischer in reintroducing our bipartisan legislation that would do just that.”
