Opinion: It’s Time to End Restrictions on Year-Round E15

by Rep. Adrian Smith and Rep. Randy Feenstra (Agri-Pulse) In recent years, high fuel prices have hit Americans hard, forcing families to make tough decisions when filling their fuel tanks. While the Trump administration has taken action to reverse Biden-era anti-energy policies, we cannot afford to leave opportunities to promote domestic energy production and support relief for consumers on the table.

To unleash American energy abundance, we should embrace untapped domestic sources already available and ready to fuel a resurgence. A robust energy portfolio would benefit from the full gamut of biofuels products, especially ethanol blends of 15%, known as E15 or unleaded 88.

For too long, unscientific and misguided government red tape has blocked year-round access to E15 and sowed regulatory uncertainty. E15 is clean, sustainable, and saves drivers 25 cents more per gallon compared to ethanol blends of 10%. Yet nationwide sale is currently restricted in the summer months, when demand from drivers is highest.

Expanding access to E15 is not just a boon to affordability. Thanks to America’s world-leading innovation, the ethanol production process can utilize one bushel of field corn—never sweet corn grown for human consumption—to simultaneously produce nearly three gallons of ethanol from the starch, 17 pounds of quality livestock feed in the form of dried distillers grains, and corn oil which can also be used for biodiesel production.

Additionally, this highly efficient process captures CO2 for commercial use in soft drinks, other high-protein livestock feed, and even a product used in asphalt rejuvenation. A recent study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that every dollar entering our biofuels supply chain is accompanied by 45 cents of co-products going into the food supply chain.

Clearly, America’s world-class producers are able to provide food, fuel, and more without sacrificing any of the above. Claims to the contrary are demonstrably false. Since the Renewable Fuel Standard was implemented in 2007, the number of corn acres planted in the U.S. has not increased. During that same period, yields have risen by nearly 20 percent.

Because of the extraordinary efficiencies achieved by American agricultural producers, we must grow diverse markets to increase yields. As producers face rising costs, a lack of long-term certainty for farm bill programs, and growing international competitors, it is critical that we remove regulations that hamper their ability to extract more value from each corn kernel. Unleashing American innovation brings more value back to the farmer, strengthens supply chains, increases access to affordable ag products, and promotes responsible stewardship of our resources.

Year-round, nationwide access to E15 enjoys a broad base of support. In March, nearly 9,000 producers from across the country sent a letter to congressional leaders calling for a permanent legislative solution. Likewise, 16 state attorneys general wrote to Congress, citing our bill, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, as a solution to provide such long-term certainty, which the Supreme Court has said can only come through legislation.

Far from a mandate, our legislation would lift the restriction on nationwide, year-round sale of E15 to unleash industry investment and contribute an estimated $66.3 billion to U.S. GDP and 188,000 additional jobs.

As Americans grapple with energy affordability, we have just scratched the surface of our domestic production capacity. Extreme weather, volatile input prices, and barriers to international market access threaten American agricultural producers with uncertainty every day. There has never been a good reason to deny hardworking family farmers, retailers, producers, and consumers the greater flexibility, productivity, and stability E15 brings to the U.S. fuel market.

We’re grateful that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has indicated his support for the long-term success of year-round E15. It’s our hope the Trump administration will continue to partner with us to get this commonsense energy policy across the finish line.

It was President Donald Trump’s first administration that paved the way for a waiver permitting summertime sales in a handful of midwestern states, and it is well past time that we provide market certainty through law.

Rep. Adrian Smith is a Republican representing Nebraska's 3rd District and a co-chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus. Rep. Randy Feenstra is a Republican representing Iowa's 4th District. READ MORE