News

Look for E15 at pumps later this summer

Drivers of 2001 and newer model vehicles could begin using E15 fuel as early as August. 

That prediction comes from Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), following the EPA’s issuance of its final rule on E15 last week. 

“It’s kind of the final federal hurdle that we had to get through to offer E15 to cars 2001 and newer,” Shaw says. “Now that doesn’t mean you can go out and put it in your car today.  There are other things that the industry has to do.  We have to register the fuel, we have to get retailers to check their systems out and offer it—and that’s going to take some time, probably into August or September.” 

The EPA also issued its mandatory E15 pump label.  While it’s better than the original draft label, Shaw says IRFA is very disappointed that EPA left in the ‘may cause damage’ warning for vehicles 2000 and older. 

“They have no data to prove that.  In fact, they admitted in their rule that they had insufficient data to conclude that damage would occur,” Shaw says, “but essentially they took the position that ethanol is guilty until proven innocent.” 

Meanwhile, Iowa’s new E15 retailer tax credit went into effect on July 1st.  Iowa fuel retailers are now eligible for a three-cent per gallon tax credit on every gallon of E15 sold. 

“We want to give people a reason to put E15 in front of consumers,” says Shay. “We’re confident that if consumers have the E15 choice, they’re going to choose it.” 

Iowa currently has 142 retail outlets offering E85 and 30 blender pumps offering various mid-level ethanol blends for flex-fuel vehicle owners.

AUDIO: Monte Shaw (8 min MP3)

  • Ethanol is and will cause Damage on older cars, my handbook for both my cars state the same things not to exceed 10% or Engine damage or fuel system damage if used over that 10% rating, and on my old classic car it states not to use oxygenated blend of fuels and not to exceed 5% and that on a 1988 Chevrolet Camaro.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!