Is ethanol safe for your car’s engine? The Trump administration is allowing Americans to buy cheaper gas with higher blends
Buyers across the US can still buyHigher ethanol blend E15 fuelThis day, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday, who saved them a little money on the bomb but at risk of potential air and water damage.
Emergency Waiver issued by EPA prevents retailers in most states from stopping the sale of E15 fuel on May 1. While removal remains effective only on May 20, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin has signed that he plans to keep the release of waivers through Sept. 15, the date when the federal government usually allows E15 sales to all states.
Most of the fuel sold throughout the US is mixed with 10% ethanol, but the 15% blend becomes common, especially in the midwest, where most of the country's corn has grown. E15 fuel generally costs at least 10 cents less than a gallon than E10 gasoline, but EPA has previously forbid its sale during the tag -day with concerns that its use during the driving -war -warming can increase smog.
But EPA is relaxing restrictions on E15, which provides a series of short-term apostasy in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to allow its sale nationwide until summer. And last year, the EPAreleased a policySales throughout the year in eight states of Midwestern-Iowa, usually the country's leading corn manufacturers, as well as Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Trump administration officials said Monday's action will lower consumer costs and give them more pump options while also raising demand for corn. They also described it as a reduction in America's hope in imported energy.
“The great corn growers of our country are critical to helping the US achieve the freedom of energy, which is essential to national security,” agricultural secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.
While the Ethanol and Iowa industry praised EPA's action, the renewable fuels association, a trade group for ethanol manufacturers, argued that Congress should approve the law that allows the year's E15 sales across the US throughout the US
“For E15 economic and energy security benefits that are fully realized, the market requires long -term certainty,” President and CEO Geoff Cooper said.
The biofuels industry and politicians in both major parties argue that ethanol helps farmers, lowers pump prices and reduces greenhouse gas because fuel is cleaner than straight fuel.
But ethanol consumes about 40% of the country's corn yield, and environmentalists argue that increased corn manufacture leads to increased use of fertilizer that is the leading source of water pollution.
Zack Pistora, Kansas lobbyist for the Sierra Club, said ethanol plants also use high amounts of water, and states such as Kansas are concerned about consuming aquifers. He said that “hypocritical” to describe ethanol as environmentally friendly and said that the Trump administration should promote changeable energy, electric vehicles, public transportation and sustainable agriculture.
“We need to dramatically reduce our hope for fossil fuel, but relying on corn-based ethanol does not put our country in the path it needs,” Pistora said in an interview.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
