Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) says Senators are working on a new bill that would allow year-round sales of E15 higher blends of ethanol motor fuel.
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Tag: E15
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An attempt to include in the House passed Farm Bill a provision to allow year-round U.S. sales of higher ethanol fuel blends, known as E15, became a major sticking point throughout consideration of the bill. The provision was removed after concerns arose that the biofuel measure might not have enough support amid oil refinery opposition and cost concerns and could therefore scuttle the Farm bill. Instead, a vote on E15 in a freestanding measure is now set for May 13.
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Efforts to increase year-round use of ethanol blends from the standard 10% up to at least 15% continue despite having not met the deadline to produce a compromise. An attempt to include the provision in the FY 2026 funding measure was slowed amid opposition from small oil refiners and environmentalists. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority John Thune established a Council between all of the affected groups with a deadline of February 25 to bring forth a consensus measure. While discussions in that group continue, an attempt was made to include a provision in the House farm bill but was rejected due to lack of jurisdiction.
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The deadline for a congressional council to come up with a plan for E15 legislation has passed with no apparent breakthrough in ending a stalemate between large and mid-sized oil refiners.
Biofuel and corn producers are caught in the middle as their goal of making higher ethanol fuel blends, known as E15, at gas pumps year-round remains out of reach. The council was established when it became apparent that no compromise provision was ready to be included in the most recent FY 2026 funding measure.
February 15 was set as the date for an agreement to be finalized with February 25 as the targeted date for final Congressional action to be completed. Negotiators proceed with participants intending to continuing to work on the effort.
Independent refiners insist that any E15 proposal also must keep the costs of the ethanol mandate from growing. At issue are potential changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard.
“Year-round E15 without meaningful RFS reforms would put America’s remaining independent refineries at risk, threatening thousands of family-sustaining jobs, driving up higher gas prices, and weakening domestic refining capacity,” the Fueling American Jobs Coalition says.