The ethanol industry is pressing the Obama Administration to decide next month whether to allow blending of up to 15 percent ethanol in conventional gasoline. The EPA already delayed once, by at least 6-months, a decision on Growth Energy’s E-15 waiver request. Now, with EPA’s mid-June timeframe for possible action rapidly approaching, Growth Energy’s Tom Buis is keeping the pressure on, “They had promised us by the middle of this year. We have not heard otherwise…so, we’re still hopeful that it will be sooner, rather than later.” EPA and DOE officials were not available to comment.
In a letter, the EPA told Buis earlier in the year that the Energy Department would not be finished with all vehicle E-15 testing “until August” but “there could be enough data by the end of May to act in June.” Buis says some 2 years of testing is enough, ”It is time. We’ve proven in our submission, that we can go to E-15 in our nation’s automobiles, without any damage to automobile engines…without any damage to emissions equipment.” EPA acknowledged in December that testing until then was encouraging, which Growth Energy took as favorable for E-15.
Buis argues more delay is unacceptable, “It’s another day that we don’t make strides in becoming less dependent on foreign oil…another day that we’re not creating jobs right here in America-jobs that can’t be outsourced.” Even if EPA approves E-15, the oil industry is expected to mount a court challenge to more competition from ethanol, possibly further delaying ethanol’s shift into “high gear.”
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