WASHINGTON, D.C. – America’s top biofuel and farm advocates urged President Biden to swiftly expand access to plentiful, lower-cost biofuels after the White House announced a far more narrow set of proposals to address skyrocketing fuel costs. Specifically, renewable energy advocates reiterated their call for the White House to swiftly allow for the year-round sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15), a lower-cost fuel option that could vanish from many markets on June 1 under seasonal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restrictions. The following joint statement was issued by the Advanced Biofuels Business Council, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and Renewable Fuels Association:
“The White House is actively considering an E15 fix to deliver relief at the pump, but today’s announcement made no mention of homegrown fuels. It was just another stop-gap release of oil reserves and a promise of more mineral extraction down the road. The clock is ticking, and failure to protect E15 from summer fuel restrictions threatens to take away a popular, money-saving option at the pump in 30 states. If action isn’t taken by the administration, those drivers will see their gas prices spike overnight. There’s a record surplus of lower-cost, domestic biofuels ready to more than fill the void left by Russian oil. E15 has already been helping some drivers save more than 30 cents a gallon. Given the steady discount on ethanol against unblended gasoline, biofuels are a source of energy security and savings the White House cannot afford to ignore. Just today, another bipartisan band of lawmakers called on President Biden to waive outdated and senseless restrictions on the sale of homegrown ethanol, reflecting a growing chorus of leaders concerned about the fast-approaching regulatory cliff on gas prices. The time to act is now.”
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