May 03, 2025

EPA continues E15 summer waiver

By AgriNews Staff
Consumers across the United States still will be able to buy higher-ethanol blend E15 gasoline this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency announced April 28. Most gasoline sold across the United States is blended with 10% ethanol, but 15% blends are becoming increasingly common, particularly in the Midwest, where most of the nation’s corn is grown.

Consumers across the United States still will be able to buy higher-ethanol blend E15 gasoline this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency announced April 28. Most gasoline sold across the United States is blended with 10% ethanol, but 15% blends are becoming increasingly common, particularly in the Midwest, where most of the nation’s corn is grown. (AP photo/Jeff Wheeler/AP)

WATERLOO, Ill.— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow the sale of E15, gasoline blended with 15% ethanol, nationwide during the summer season.

This will allow E15 to continue being sold across the nation and follows President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring a national energy emergency that influenced the EPA to release emergency waivers to allow the sale of year-round E15.

“Illinois corn farmers need growth in the domestic ethanol industry to boost prices and farm family profitability. We are grateful to the president and his administration for prioritizing year-round access to E15,” said Illinois Corn Growers Association President Garrett Hawkins, of Waterloo.

“The best-case scenario for Illinois farm families is to now build on this momentum and pass higher blend legislation that will benefit all Americans, especially rural America, and prevent the need for annual emergency waivers.”

Higher blends of ethanol lower the price of fuel for consumers, as the price of ethanol is lower than the price of petroleum fuel. Higher blends of ethanol boost rural economies, especially near ethanol plants.

Trump said that he supports permanent year-round access to biofuel to eliminate uncertainty and the need for regulatory action each summer.

The EPA took similar emergency action in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and EPA allowed retailers to continue selling E15 in 2021 following an adverse court decision in a lawsuit brought by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers against Trump.

The waiver went into effect on May 1.

AgriTruckerBiofuelsCornEthanolIllinois Corn Growers Association
AgriNews Staff

AgriNews Staff

The Illinois AgriNews and Indiana AgriNews staff is in the field each week, covering topics that affect local farm families and their businesses. We give readers information they can’t get elsewhere to help them make better farming decisions.