US EPA issues waiver to allow E15 sales during summer driving season

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Apr. 19 issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow the sale of E15 gasoline—gasoline blended with 15% ethanol—during the summer driving season.

While the new waiver is only in effect May 1-20, EPA said it expects to issue new waivers to extend it until “the extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East are no longer present.”

EPA said the waiver would help protect Americans from fuel shocks at the pump this summer as gasoline demand rises.

On average, E15 is about $0.25/gas cheaper than E10 gasoline blended with 10% ethanol, EPA noted. 

“Allowing E15 sales during the summer driving season will increase fuel supply, while supporting American farmers, strengthening our nation’s energy security, and providing relief to drivers across the country,” said Administrator Michael Regan.

The Clean Air Act allows the EPA Administrator, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to temporarily waive certain fuel requirements to address shortages. Regan determined that “extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances exist,” prompting him to grant the temporary waiver to help ensure adequate gasoline supplies. 

Without the waiver, E15 cannot be sold from terminals starting on May 1 and at retail stations starting on June 1 in about two-thirds of the country to protect air quality during the summer.

EPA’s action extends the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver that currently applies only to E10 gasoline to E15, allowing E15 sales throughout the summer driving season in these areas, if necessary. “This action only extends the 1-psi waiver to E15 in parts of the country where it already exists for E10,” EPA noted, explaining that E15 can already be sold year-round in parts of the country with reformulated gasoline program. 

EPA said it anticipates “no significant impact on evaporative emissions” by extending the 1-psi waiver to E15. “With no significant impacts on emissions from cars and trucks, EPA expects consumers can continue to use E15 without concern that its use in the summer will impact air quality,” the agency said in a statement. 

The move comes ahead of the November presidential election, amid Biden administration fears that high energy prices could hike inflation, causing some voters to turn away from Biden. 

Some energy experts expect Biden also to release additional oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help temper gasoline prices.