Burnsville, Dec 18 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) applauds the inclusion of a provision allowing the nationwide year-round sale of E15 in the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through March 2025.

“Lifting this outdated and unnecessary regulatory barrier to year-round E15 has long been a top priority for Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Our state’s farmers, biofuel processors, fuel retailers, and consumers will greatly benefit from knowing that this lower-cost, lower-emission fuel will be available on a permanent basis going forward. We urge Congress to avoid a government shutdown by passing the CR and sending this critical bill to the president for his signature as soon as possible,” said Brian Werner, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels.

Swift passage of the CR would finally provide consumers with permanent and nationwide access to E15 year-round, a move long-awaited and supported by Minnesota’s ethanol and agriculture industries.

The stop-gap government funding bill released by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this week includes legislation known as the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2024  that calls for extending the Reid Vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to ethanol blends between 10 and 15 percent, which would make E15 available year-round. E15 sales have been restricted during the summer months due to outdated fuel vapor pressure regulations in the Clean Air Act that were crafted before E15 existed as a fuel option. Research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has shown that E15 reduces ground-level ozone pollution and smog compared to regular gasoline. As a result, fuel blends with more than 10 percent ethanol have a lower vapor pressure than regular unleaded 87 octane.

The Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act  was co-sponsored by Minnesota Representatives Angie Craig, Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach, Tom Emmer, and Pete Stauber. 

Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith also played pivotal roles in negotiations, as well as leading and co-sponsoring similar legislation in the U.S. Senate.

The past three years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued emergency waivers to ensure uninterrupted access to E15, also known as Unleaded 88, during the summer months.

In February of this year, the EPA approved a petition from eight Midwestern governors - including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz – to allow for year-round E15 sales beginning April 28, 2025, in the eight Midwestern states. The pending passage of the CR, however, would override this patchwork approach and ensure E15 is available all year throughout the country. 

“MN Bio-Fuels appreciates the tireless work of our bipartisan supporters in Congress and here in Minnesota to ensure that this long-sought provision would be included in the CR. From Senator Klobuchar’s many years of leading the Senate version of the bill… to Rep. Craig’s ‘biofuel bulldog’ advocacy in getting this passed in the House and included in the CR… to Governor Walz leading the Midwest Governors’ petition allowing year-round E15 in lieu of congressional action… and Senator Smith and Reps. Emmer, Finstad, Fischbach, and Stauber for their unwavering support. We urge them to avoid delay in getting this across the finish line,” Werner said.

Late last month, Minnesota reached a milestone when a Kwik Trip station in Pipestone became the 500th station in the state to offer E15. Today, there are currently 503 stations in Minnesota that offer E15.

E15 sales in the state have also been on an upward trend this year. From January to Oct 30, 119.08 million gallons of E15 was sold, representing a 14 percent increase from the volume sold over the same period in 2023 (104.44 million gallons).