WASHINGTON – Senate Agriculture Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is leading the entire Iowa delegation in calling on President Biden for a waiver authorizing E-15 sales this summer. The letter – signed by Sen. Joni Ernst and Reps. Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn, Randy Feenstra and Mariannette Miller-Meeks – underscores the geopolitical significance of immediate, uninterrupted access to E-15, as well as its importance for Iowa drivers and individuals along the ethanol supply chain.

“As we expressed to Administrator Regan last week, we remain concerned that delaying implementation until 2025 will have devastating effects on biofuels producers, farmers, and families across the country, and especially in Iowa. Additionally, Russia continues to weaponize its energy resources, and the OPEC+ cartel is still artificially manipulating supplies to hurt American families,” the Iowa lawmakers wrote. 

“We the undersigned urge you to once again issue an emergency waiver to allow for the summertime sale of E-15, extending the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver from June 1 through September 15. The summertime sale of E-15 has supported farmers, created and sustained jobs, reduced our dependence on foreign oil, and given consumers a choice at the pump,” they continued. 

Read the full letter HERE. 

Background: 

The EPA in February 2024 approved a petition Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds filed in 2022 alongside seven other Midwestern states, permitting year-round E-15 sales. Grassley has long advocated for such a policy. Iowa’s ethanol industry supports roughly 57,000 jobs, and seasonal uncertainty poses challenges for farmers, retail stations and Iowans who prefer to fill their tanks with E-15. However, EPA’s recent authorization won’t take effect until 2025.

The Iowa delegation last week pushed EPA Administrator Michael Regan to implement its new E-15 authorization no later than March 31, 2024. President Biden also has the power to prevent fueling disruptions by directing EPA to issue an RVP waiver, which he has done for the past two years. There’s no reason to wait another year, or even another month, to fully unleash E-15. Grassley will continue urging action from the Biden administration to promote U.S. energy security and stability across Iowa’s ethanol industry.

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