The Environmental Protection Agency is allowing the higher blend of ethanol gas in an effort to lower fuel prices, despite concerns that it could worsen smog.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency approved a temporary waiver for the nationwide sale of E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline. The goal of the waiver is to bring down fuel prices at the pump.
The waiver covers May 1 through May 20, though the EPA is prepared to extend it after that. The sale of the higher-ethanol blend is generally prohibited in warm weather due to concerns that it could worsen smog. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, on March 25, approved a temporary waiver for the nationwide sale of E15, a higher-ethanol gasoline blend. The decision to approve E15, up from the typical 10 percent ethanol blend, is part of a strategy aimed at lowering gasoline prices, which have soared since the U.S. began waging war in Iran. While some states have been approved to sell E15 year-round, the higher blend is typically banned during warmer months because of concerns that the higher ethanol concentration could worsen smog. 'EPA is working with our federal partners to reduce unnecessary costs and uncertainty and ensure that gas prices remain affordable for all Americans through the summer,' the EPA director Lee Zeldin said in a statement. 'This emergency action will provide American families with relief by increasing fuel supply and consumer choice.'The EPA's waiver goes into effect on May 1 and runs through May 20, with the 20-day period using the full allotment allowed under the Clean Air Act. According to the EPA's statement, the agency will continue to monitor the fuel situation throughout the window and is prepared to extend it if the situation doesn't change. According to a report by PBS, not everyone is convinced that the waiver will have a positive effect. For starters, not every state is set up for E15, and some places don't have the infrastructure in place to ramp up the ethanol usage, Kenneth Gillingham, a professor at the Yale School of the Environment, told the outlet. Additionally, Gillingham said that the higher ethanol concentration could have negative effects on older vehicles, as well as boats and all-terrain vehicles. Jason Hill, a professor at the University of Minnesota who studies food, energy markets, and environmental consequences, told PBS that the waiver may not actually lower costs for consumers. According to Hill, the additional corn used for ethanol means less corn for animal feed, which will directly increase the cost to raise cattle, and could trickle down to higher groceries. 'I think it's difficult to see when the ledger's settled, how this is a benefit for U.S. consumers,' Hill told PBS. ➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used Cars
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