API Joins Groups Urging Trump to Pass Year-Round E15 Sales


   
Barani Krishnan
DTN Refined Fuels Market Reporter

   SECAUCUS, NJ (DTN) -- The American Petroleum Institute (API) announced this 
week that it has joined various organizations to request advance legislation 
for year-round, nationwide sales of the E-15. 

   "Legislation allowing the year-round, nationwide sale of E15 would improve 
fungibility and substantially reduce many of the complexities that arise for 
our industries as we operate in a national marketplace," the API said in a 
letter sent to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (12/4) and copied to 
members of Congress, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson 
and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

   Sale of E15 - a gasoline blend containing 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline -  is 
currently restricted in the summer months across many states due to federal air 
quality regulations related to its evaporative emissions.

   The letter to Trump, where API was joined by groups representing ethanol 
producers, oil refiners, fuel marketers, travel plazas, truck stops and 
convenience store retailers, stated "a common goal to provide affordable, 
reliable liquid fuels for consumers."

   "However, our collective ability to continue to do so is being threatened by 
the ongoing uncertainty regarding the sale of year-round E15 and the 
administration of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel 
Standard (RFS) program," the letter stated.

   API's own stance on the E15 had evolved over the past couple of months, with 
the organization initially opposing year-round sales of the gasoline with a 15% 
ethanol blend due to what it described as ununiformed rule making.

   E15 sales are expanding across the U.S., driven by increased consumer access 
and funding for new retail infrastructure. But California continues to face 
unique challenges that slow its adoption of the fuel. Unlike the 49 U.S. states 
that have eliminated Stage 2 vapor recovery requirements for the E15, 
California maintains enhanced rules for vapor recovery systems that impact 
sales of the fuel.




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