EPA grants final approval to sale of E15 blends

Source: Clean Wisconsin

By completing its approval of established misfueling mitigation plans, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has essentially cleared the way for final approval for companies intending to sell E15 to consumers.

 “This decision is a victory for consumers, who have a right to choose the best fuel for their needs,” says Joshua Morby, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance (WBIA). “Approving the use of E15 will reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil and increase our use of domestically produced, renewable fuel alternatives.”

 This decision addressed the final, significant regulatory hurdle preventing consumers with passenger vehicles model 2001 and newer from selecting E15 as a fuel option. The EPA has been working with a variety of ethanol groups to meet all the conditions necessary to appropriately and legally offer E15 to consumers at the pump.

 During the past few years, multiple studies have been done to examine the effects of E15 on engines. Among those studies is one conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy that concluded there were no significant changes in vehicle drivability when E15 was used instead of traditional gasoline.

 “We applaud the EPA’s action and look forward to the future as retailers finish the necessary steps needed to start offering E15 to Wisconsin consumers,” says Morby.

 Wisconsin consumers already enjoy the benefits of E10, which can be used in all vehicles, and E85, which is for use in flexible fuel vehicles. Adding E15 as an additional choice gives consumers another option at the pump. According to a study by Iowa State University, this choice is important: Ethanol blends are estimated to reduce the cost of vehicular gasoline by about a dollar a gallon.

 The Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance is a diverse group of businesses, environmental groups, and statewide and local organizations that have come together to build both public and legislative awareness of the Bio Industry in Wisconsin.

For more information about the Alliance, or to find out how to join, please visit our website here.

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