The Environmental Protection Agency, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, will allow year-round sales of higher-ethanol E15 fuel starting April 28, delivering a win for Midwest lawmakers and the biofuels industry. The decision, set to boost eight states, marks a rare holdover from the previous administration amid Trump’s broader rollback of green policies.
At a glance:
- EPA to allow year-round E15 sales in eight Midwest states starting April 28.
- Move fulfills a long-standing push by Governors and biofuels advocates.
- Zeldin calls it a smooth transition for fuel suppliers and consumers.
- Ethanol industry praises it but wants Congress to lock in the policy.
Midwest Scores Ethanol Victory
EPA Chief Lee Zeldin this week confirmed the agency will proceed with year-round E15 availability in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, honoring a Biden plan first floated in 2023 and finalized last February. The Governors of these states, battling fuel price spikes after Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, had demanded waivers since then—Iowa and Nebraska even sued in 2023 to force the issue.
Zeldin stated, “Today’s decision underscores EPA’s commitment to consumer access to E15 while ensuring a smooth transition for fuel suppliers and refiners,” promising stability for states ready to roll it out and flexibility for others needing time. The announcement stands out as Trump’s EPA guts other Biden green rules and freezes Inflation Reduction Act funds.
E15, a higher-ethanol blend, was previously limited to non-summer months due to air quality rules, but this shift caters to corn-rich Midwest states pushing for biofuels. The Renewable Fuels Association cheered the move, with President Geoff Cooper saying, “We were encouraged to see EPA is considering issuing emergency waivers to allow the uninterrupted sale of E15 nationwide this summer if Congress fails to act.” He urged lawmakers to codify the policy, signaling the industry’s wariness of relying on agency goodwill alone.
Rare Continuity Amid Policy Purge
Unlike Trump’s broader environmental purge, this aligns with Midwest priorities—corn farmers and ethanol producers who’ve long battled for market access. Zeldin’s nod to “working with all stakeholders” ensures refiners and suppliers aren’t blindsided, a practical bend amid his push to overhaul wasteful green spending. While Biden’s EPA first approved it, Trump’s team sees it as a fuel supply win, not a climate sop, dodging the green agenda’s baggage. It’s a concrete gain for heartland states, even as the administration eyes bigger cuts elsewhere.
