Thune, Durbin Urge Biden to Prioritize E15 Fuel, Utilize American Agriculture

Senators’ bipartisan letter urges President Biden to continue the year-round sale of E15 fuel to help restore American energy security

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel in 2023 in order to reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign sources of energy and utilize American agriculture as an energy solution. The senators note that American biofuels are a clean and reliable energy solution that will help drive down fuel costs for consumers.

“Taking early action on E15 will send timely and necessary signals across the energy supply chain so that fuel producers and retailers will have the certainty they need to ensure affordable, reliable, and cleaner fuel options for American consumers throughout the year,” the senators wrote. “Further, U.S. use of E15 will continue to displace Russian oil and finished gasoline products, ease domestic and global supply constraints, and lower net domestic fuel prices.”

“Preventing a disruption in consumer access to E15 through the summer of 2023 remains a straightforward, no-cost solution at your disposal to recommit our nation’s broader response to the effect of Russia’s actions and the war’s collateral effect on fuel markets while advancing our domestic energy and environmental needs,” the senators continued.

“We know the economic benefits of granting an E15 waiver because we saw them last summer – families saved $0.16 per gallon on average, and up to nearly $1.00 per gallon in some areas of the country. That meant more money in the pockets of American families at a time of economic uncertainty,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “We’re grateful to these 17 Senators for sending a bipartisan letter to President Biden asking him to again grant those savings to American drivers this summer. Higher blends of biofuels not only offer immediate cost benefits but also play a strong role in a clean energy future.”

“Ahead of last summer, the administration took emergency action to avert fuel supply disruptions and ensure American consumers would continue to have uninterrupted access to lower-cost E15,” said Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. “The same market conditions and geopolitical tensions that prompted last summer’s emergency action still exist today and are likely to worsen as summer approaches. We join these Senators in calling on the Biden administration to use its authority to allow year-round E15, which would help avert fuel supply shortages and deliver economic relief to consumers.”

“We appreciate Senators getting ahead of the problem and proposing a solution to prevent a disruption in E15 availability this summer,” said Tom Haag, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “Ensuring continued availability of low-cost, low-emission E15 increases our domestic supply in the face of ongoing global energy uncertainty. The Biden administration took the same successful action last year, boosting the fuel supply while lowering costs for drivers. We support the Senators’ timely request for this no-cost energy security solution.”

This letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

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