EPA grants Iowa access to year-round sale of E-15 in 2025

DES MOINES, Iowa — Just under one week ago, a request from Gov. Kim Reynolds to allow the year-round sale of E15 gasoline was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Up until now, the sale of E15 has been restricted in the summer months by the federal agency due to air pollution concerns. E15 is cheaper than regular gasoline and contains 15% ethanol content. 

Both Reynolds and industry leaders across the state are celebrating the EPA's decision, but it won’t be taking effect immediately. Year-round sales of E15 gasoline will start in 2025, as the EPA says that refineries will need time to update their machinery before it can be pumped.

Thanks to the surplus of corn across the state, Iowa has long led the nation in ethanol production. As a result, state lawmakers have been pushing to maximize the use of ethanol in gasoline for several years. 

“Being able to market homegrown biofuels like ethanol, and increasing the actual ethanol content that's in a gallon of gasoline, benefits everybody," said John Maynes, Director of Regulatory Affairs for FUELIowa.  

Many lawmakers, like Congressman Zach Nunn, want those sales to begin this summer rather than next.

"There's no reason that they should be standing in the way of Iowa farmers' success and American consumers' ability to get E15 all through the year," Nunn, a Republican, told Local 5. 

In a statement released last week, Reynolds said she’s “pursuing a waiver” to offer E15 at Iowa pumps this summer, adding that she "won’t stop fighting for year-round E15 until it’s available nationwide."

In addition to the lower gas prices, the hope is Iowa’s economy will also get a boost. 

"Let me tell you what it means to the Iowa economy. It means 57,000 jobs," Nunn said. "So it's really important here in everything from those in the farm field, to those who are running the refinement, to the actual production.”

Eight governors in total from ethanol-producing states across the Midwest petitioned the EPA for year-round E15 access.

As of Wednesday, Reynolds has not yet filed that waiver to the EPA.