Statewide Iowa — (RI) — Backers of ethanol in Iowa are praising Friday’s announcement that the E-15 blend of gasoline will be allowed to be sold year round.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler says the decision fulfills a promise made by President Donald Trump.
The blend mixes 15 percent ethanol with gasoline and prior to the change retailers had to stop selling it on June 1st. Wheeler says they can now continue selling the fuel all year.
Iowa is the top ethanol producing state, with more than four billion gallons produced, and backers have pushed for the change for years. Wheeler says the EPA had to follow its process.
He says they determined E-15 is a viable summer fuel.
Those who back ethanol are concerned about exemptions granted to some refiners on the amount of ethanol they must blend with fuel, saying the exemptions are too easily handed out. Wheeler says they follow the guidelines in those determinations.
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw reacted to the decision, saying “the final rule provides a reasonable, intellectually-consistent, legally-defensible solution for year-round E-15 access.”
