The emergency action taken today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow uninterrupted sales of E15 this summer will help American drivers save money at the pump, strengthen the rural economy, and boost energy independence, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. RFA thanked both EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the White House for issuing the waivers, noting that today’s action delivers on the commitment President Trump made to ethanol producers and farmers on Day One of his second term.
“On his first day in office, President Trump declared a national energy emergency and identified year-round E15 as a solution for extending fuel supplies and reducing pump prices,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “With geopolitical conflict roiling energy markets worldwide, we applaud President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for acting quickly to combat potential fuel shortages and help keep a lid on gas prices this summer. Allowing uninterrupted sales of E15 will help boost gasoline supplies, bolster the farm economy, and protect air quality. We also appreciate the efforts of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, several key governors, and the many ethanol supporters in Congress who worked together to promote continued access to E15.”
The lower-cost, American-made E15 blend is legally approved for use in more than 95 percent of vehicles on the road today, according to EPA. Drivers typically save 15-25 cents per gallon when filling up with E15; it currently sells at a 7.5 percent discount to regular unleaded.
Cooper noted that year-round E15 has been allowed in recent years. The EPA took similar emergency action in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and EPA allowed retailers to continue selling E15 in 2021 following an adverse court decision in a lawsuit brought by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers against President Trump.
While today’s EPA announcement is good news for American families, Cooper pointed out that a permanent legislative solution allowing year-round E15 is still needed. “For the economic and energy security benefits of E15 to be fully realized, the marketplace needs long-term certainty,” he said. “It’s time for Congress to pass legislation—like the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act—that would deliver permanent year-round access for E15 and finally break the cycle of ad hoc, stop-gap emergency waivers.”
