Tassels emerge from corn in central Iowa on August 4, 2025. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
In an effort to lower gasoline prices, Administrator Lee Zeldin said Wednesday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow gas stations to sell fuel blends containing 15% ethanol during the summer season.
This blend, known as E15, is typically banned in many Midwestern states during the summer to reduce smog, although in recent years the federal government has routinely issued waivers allowing summer sales. The move, which was applauded by ethanol producers, could prevent prices from rising at the pump during the war with Iran that has rocked the oil market.
“EPA is working with our federal partners to reduce unnecessary costs and uncertainty and ensure that gas prices remain affordable for all Americans throughout the summer,” Zeldin said in a statement. “This emergency action will provide American families with relief by increasing fuel supplies and consumer choice.”
Bipartisan officials in corn-producing states have pushed for the exemption and continue to push for year-round availability of the product. Ethanol is made from corn and other plant materials.
Move is gaining recognition from the industry and officials
Seven Midwest governors – Republicans Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Mike Kehoe of Missouri, Jim Pillen of Nebraska and Larry Rhoden of South Dakota, and Democrats Tim Walz of Minnesota, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Tony Evers of Wisconsin – signed on letter of March 6 to Zeldin asking for a waiver.
Recently, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee also supported the move.
“With gasoline prices skyrocketing, it’s time to make E15 available year-round,” said Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar statement of March 19. “This will help reduce costs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, also praised Wednesday’s announcement and called on Congress to make the policy eternal.
Ethanol industry groups also approved this exemption. Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of national ethanol advocacy group Renewable Fuels Association, said the move was “exactly what the supply chain needs right now.”
“President Trump and Administrator Zeldin understand that year-round E15 is a solution that can expand the nation’s fuel supply and lower pump prices for hardworking American families,” Cooper said. “With geopolitical conflict roiling energy markets around the world, we applaud President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for acting quickly and decisively to combat potential fuel shortages and help keep gas prices stable this summer.”
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw also thanked the administration in a statement.
“With rising fuel prices and war in the Middle East, this is the worst time to force retailers to buy E15 pumps in bags. E15 increases the supply from local crops and lowers prices for consumers,” he said.
The war in Iran is disrupting the oil market
Gas prices have risen since President Donald Trump launched attacks on Iran on February 28. Transport through the Strait of Hormuz has been restricted due to threats from Iran during the conflict.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted at a news conference Wednesday that the waiver was part of the administration’s response to rising wartime fuel costs.
“Obviously, the administration is coming up with new, creative solutions every day to keep the price of oil stable, which is what the president wants to see,” she said.
Leavitt said Trump will also welcome nearly 1,000 farmers to the White House for National Agriculture Day, where the president plans to promote his position on the issue.
The E15 exemption will apply from May 1 to May 20. Twenty days is the longest period for which a single waiver can be applied under the Clean Air Act, the EPA said in a news release. The move signals that the administration views further waivers as an option as restrictions augment over the summer.
Shauneen Miranda contributed to this report.
