POLICY
RVOs Explained By Matt Ward The COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical instability have led to inflation and uncertainty across the globe. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and policymakers are in need of immediate solutions. Now more than ever, it is critical to ensure year-round access to affordable, available, American-made E15. Since it was first approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) more than a decade ago, the road to year-long, nationwide access to E15 has taken many twists and turns. Let’s take a closer look at the winding road to securing E15’s rightful place in America’s fuel supply.
Trump’s EPA & the courts In May 2019, biofuel supporters celebrated as the Trump Administration finalized a rule clearing the way for year-round sales of E15. The rule deemed E15 “substantially similar” to E10, which allowed the sale of E15 without a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver. The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers led the lawsuit challenging EPA’s rule. In July 2021, the three-judge panel hearing the case overturned the EPA, putting the future of year-round E15 in limbo. In September 2021, the D.C. Circuit denied a petition brought by Growth Energy and other bioethanol advocates to rehear the case. In December 2021, the Supreme Court also denied Growth Energy’s petition stating that legislative and administrative solutions are available for E15.
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VITAL
