Biden Allows Sale of Higher-Ethanol Fuel in Effort to Lower Gas Prices

According to Reuters, President Joe Biden on Tuesday will announce plans to allow the sale of higher-ethanol fuels during the summer, aiming to lower rising gasoline prices. The plan will allow Americans to purchase 15 percent ethanol (E15) gasoline from June 1 to September 15. Biden is scheduled to speak on the subject during a visit to Menlo, Iowa’s POET Bioprocessing, the largest biofuels producer in the United States.

The gasoline blend is reported to be 10 cents cheaper on average, but is less energy dense. So while the fuel will be cheaper and more readily available, it will also burn more quickly, meaning consumers may end up buying more gas, according to Engineering Explained.

Officials said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will facilitate the change by issuing a national emergency waiver around June. They have also explored plans to allow the sale of E15 fuel year-round to further help rising gas prices. The EPA additionally said it will work with individual states to make sure that burning the new fuel mixture will have no significant impact on air quality.

Want to stay up to date on the latest UTV Driver news and reviews? Sign up for our weekly newsletter!