Experts: Year-round access to E15 helps consumers, creates jobs in Rural America

Now that the EPA is allowing some states to purchase E15 biofuel during the summer, lawmakers and regulators are touting

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) permanent approval allowing year-round access to E15 in Midwestern states is a hot topic for the agriculture industry, but it also received some attention in a recent Senate Environment Committee Hearing.

EPA Chief Michael Regan shares the benefits of the decision to Midwestern states purchase the bio-fuel in the summer:

“And for fiscal years 2025 and beyond, those waivers will be permanent for those eight states to use E15 throughout the summers. So, that gives those eight states a level of certainty for future investments to up that production of biofuels so that we can continue to keep our prices low but be globally competitive.”
Michael Regan, EPA Chief

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow also stressed the importance of E15 fuel access to her ag committee:

"[E15 access allows] lower price for consumers, addressing a cleaner environment, but also, jobs — a lot of jobs. In particularly, [jobs in] rural America through our bioeconomy.”
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

The EPA’s summertime E15 rule only applies to Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

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