MADISON, Wis. – On April 28, eight Midwest governors sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of the year-round sale of E15 fuel.
In November 2021, the governors sent a similar letter to the EPA. On April 12, President Joe Biden announced that his administration would lift the summertime ban on E15 between June 1 and Sept. 15, 2022, to help ease high gas prices. The current action urges the EPA to issue a permanent fix and allow the sale of E15 year-round annually.
POET, the world’s largest producer of biofuels, applauds Governors Kim Reynolds (R-IA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Doug Burgum (R-ND), Tony Evers (D-WI), Laura Kelly (D-KS), Kristi Noem (R-SD), JB Pritzker (D-IL) and Tim Walz (D-MN) for taking bold, bipartisan action to secure year-round access to E15, a 15 percent bioethanol fuel blend. The eight Midwest governors exercised their authority under the Clean Air Act to “provide relief, flexibility, and certainty in the fuel market” and give E10 and E15 regulatory parity in their states.
“Thank you to Governors Reynolds, Ricketts, Burgum, Evers, Kelly, Noem, Pritzker and Walz for fighting for permanent access to E15, lower prices at the pump and cleaner fuels in your states,” said Joshua Shields, POET Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications. “Skyrocketing gas prices underscore the need for year-round access to biofuel blends, like E15, that save money, lower emissions and are made in America.”
According to e85prices.com, on April 28 the average reported retail savings between E0 (0% bioethanol) and E15 (15% bioethanol) is $0.64 per gallon. Americans are also currently saving $0.31 per gallon on average by choosing E15 over standard E10 gasoline.
“During a time of continued supply chain disruptions and rising inflation, I continue to seek ways to support Wisconsin families,” said Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. “I am proud to join my colleagues as we once again advocate for the use of E15.”
E15, or Unleaded 88, is a mix of regular gasoline and 15% ethanol, a plant-based fuel typically made from corn, and is cheaper for consumers.
“The Governor continues to lead on issues to positively impact Wisconsinites – whether it’s helping consumers with gas prices at the pump or ensuring farmers have a market for their corn,” said Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
“E15 or Unleaded 88 is a fuel that is cleaner, has higher octane, and currently sells at a discount to gasoline,” said Eric Huschitt, President of the Wisconsin Biofuels Association. “On behalf of Wisconsin’s biofuels industry, we thank Governor Evers for joining in this Midwest action.”
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin represent over 10 percent of all fuel sales, over half of the nation’s E15 fueling stations, over 70 percent of the nation’s ethanol plants and nearly 70 percent of the corn grown in the United States. The Iowa Corn Growers Association thanked Governor Reynolds for taking this important step by requesting the EPA allow E15 and higher blends of ethanol to be available for drivers year-round. ICGA will continue to work on behalf of corn farmers to provide market access for Iowa corn and corn products, said a statement released by the group.
Reid Wagner, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, thanks Governor Ricketts for his leadership to ensure that all Nebraskans continue to have uninterrupted access to blends of gasoline that are lower in emissions, better for our engines, and save us all money at the pump.
“In conjunction with the passing of Nebraska’s Higher Blends Tax Credit this month, this action is key to encouraging retailers to further invest in infrastructure to make higher ethanol blends more widely available,” Wagner continued.
E15 is safe and approved by the EPA to use in vehicles 2001 or newer. Drivers with Flex Fuel Vehicles can use blends up to E85. If the United States moved to a fuel standard of E15, consumers would save $12.2 billion in fuel costs every single year, according to industry expert Growth Energy.
“Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) thanks Gov. Walz for his long-time support of renewable fuels, dating back to his days in Congress. As governor, he has advocated for an E15 mandate. I thank him for joining with the seven other Midwestern governors in calling for the year-round sale of E15,” said MFU President Gary Wertish. “Renewable fuels are a win-win for family farmers, rural communities, consumers and the environment.”
— POET
— Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
— Iowa Corn Growers Association
— Nebraska Ethanol Board
— Minnesota Farmers Union