House passes bill, co-sponsored by Riley, for year-round sale of E15

GREENE COUNTY―Legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY-19) to permanently allow the year-round sale of E15 blended gasoline has passed the House.

The Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act could save drivers more than 40 cents per gallon, according to Riley’s office.

“Gas prices are up more than $1.50 a gallon over the last year and Upstate New Yorkers feel it every time they drive to work, pick up their kids from school, and head to the grocery store. Folks need real relief – not someday, not eventually, but now,” said Riley.

E15—a fuel blend of up to 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline—generally cannot be sold during the summer driving season because it does not meet gasoline Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements, which limit fuel volatility under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

But despite E15’s lower cost, Riley says “arbitrary federal regulations” prevent E15 from being sold during the summer months except in a handful of Midwest states that have been granted an exemption.

In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a temporary emergency fuel waiver to allow nationwide sales of E15 from May 1-20. According to the agency, they are ready to extend the waivers as long as the fuel supply circumstances warrant such action but have yet to do so.

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher praised the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, saying it will not only save drivers at the pumps but also provide an expanded market for corn growers. Nearly 40% of the U.S. corn crop is used to produce ethanol.

“The sale of E15 year-round is expected to increase demand for corn by up to 2.4 billion bushels per year for farmers across the country, while reducing CO2 emissions by more than 17.62 million tons per year—the equivalent of taking nearly 4 million cars off the road,” said Fisher.

The Renewable Fuels Association also supports the bill, with President and CEO Geoff Cooper saying the legislation gives Americans “the freedom to choose E15 and removes three decades of red tape that had stifled competition and choice in the marketplace.”

“Now, we urge the Senate to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to President Trump, who promised to sign it without delay,” said Cooper.

The bill passed the House, 218-203, with 123 Republicans and 95 Democrats in support, and 90 Republicans and 113 Democrats opposed. Its fate in the Senate is uncertain.

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, is among those against the bill, maintaining it will hurt small oil refineries and the people who work at them.

On Thursday, the New York State average for a gallon of gasoline was $4.61 and sat at $4.56 in Greene County.

As holiday travelers start hitting the road in record numbers, Memorial Day weekend gas prices are the highest they’ve been in four years, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

The national average for a gallon of regular is at $4.56, up 3 cents over last week and $1.38 higher than this time last year. With gasoline demand on the rise and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, AAA predicts pump prices are likely to remain elevated as the summer travel season gets underway.

“With global oil inventories continuing to trend toward historically tight levels, markets remain extremely sensitive to geopolitical developments and potential supply disruptions,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

“As a result, gasoline and diesel prices are likely to remain volatile, and with Memorial Day approaching, any sustained increase in oil prices could begin pushing retail fuel prices higher again in the weeks ahead,” De Haan said.