The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked members of the House and Senate for collaborating on a legislative remedy to the recent court decision striking down year-round sales of the E15 ethanol blend. Leading the effort in the Senate are Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); in the House, Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN) and Adrian Smith (R-NE). In the House, the bill is called the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act; in the Senate, it is the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.
“We thank these leaders for their quick work following on the July 2 ruling of the D.C. Circuit,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “These bills will make it abundantly clear that the intent of Congress is to allow the year-round use of lower-cost, lower-carbon, American-made E15. Increasing drivers’ access to higher-level blends like E15 remains a top priority for RFA, and we are committed to working with these leaders in Congress, and the Biden administration, to make that a reality.”
On July 2, The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a 2019 rule by the Environmental Protection Agency that lifted outdated restrictions on the sale of E15. The case was a challenge by oil refiners to the rulemaking that allowed the year-round sale of E15. E15 sales continue into this summer while the appeal process takes place, and this legislation can also provide a more permanent fix to ensure certainty in the liquid fuel market.
