As lawmakers worked to avoid a government shutdown at the end of 2024, a major opportunity to secure year-round sales of E15 slipped through the cracks. Originally included in a bipartisan Continuing Resolution (CR) package spearheaded by Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), as well as Representatives Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.), the E15 legislative fix had widespread support from congressional leadership and industry stakeholders. But objections to the size of the package resulted in all policy items, including the E15 provision, being stripped before a pared-down “skinny CR” was passed.
The effort to secure E15 access didn’t end there. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the Department of Energy, granted an emergency fuel waiver allowing the nationwide sale of E15 during the 2025 summer driving season, marking a major win for American consumers, farmers, and the biofuels industry. The waiver, which was recommended under President Trump’s January executive order declaring a national energy emergency and issued by the EPA in April, will ensure uninterrupted access to E15 through the summer months.
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This emergency action mirrors similar waivers granted in 2022, 2023, and 2024 and was widely supported by bipartisan lawmakers, fuel retailers, and agriculture advocates. The decision follows a strong push from a coalition of U.S. Senators, led by John Thune (R-S.D.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who called on the administration to extend the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver in light of ongoing global fuel market volatility.
“Utilizing American ethanol year-round is a direct solution to reinforcing our energy supply and reducing consumer costs,” the senators wrote in an April letter to President Trump. “The issuance of a nationwide waiver for the 2025 summer driving season is a clear path toward these shared goals.”
The emergency waiver builds upon previous momentum as several Midwestern states — including Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota — were granted year-round access to E15 in February. That action, requested by eight governors, provides parity between E10 and E15 and gives regulatory certainty to fuel suppliers and refiners in those states.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin praised the flexibility of the agency’s approach, noting that it “underscores EPA’s commitment to consumer access to E15 while ensuring a smooth transition for fuel suppliers.”
Although we applaud these short-term wins, industry leaders continue to push for a permanent legislative solution. Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, applauded a recent letter from 16 state Attorneys General calling on Congress to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which would provide national parity for E15.
“There’s no reason for delay. President Trump wants E15, and we have bipartisan, bicameral support in Congress,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “This long-overdue fix will bring certainty to the marketplace, save consumers money, drive rural growth, and reinforce American energy dominance.”
As summer approaches, American drivers can continue to fuel up with E15, knowing it supports U.S. agriculture, lowers emissions, and saves them money at the pump. But the long-term goal remains clear: securing a stable, permanent future for biofuels nationwide.
With temporary solutions in place, the race is on to ensure E15 remains a viable, accessible, and consistent fuel option for American drivers. As advocates push forward, one thing is clear: the fight for year-round E15 is far from over.
