April 12, 2024 - WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Thursday joined Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in calling on President Biden to permit nationwide E15 sales this summer. Their letter underscores the geopolitical importance of uninterrupted biofuels access and notes the president directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue summertime waivers in 2022 and 2023.  

“Enabling the year-round sale of E15 […] helped allow our energy supply chain to ‘address extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances caused by the war in Ukraine that are affecting all regions of the nation.’ Unfortunately, this underlying justification remains applicable as Russia’s war of aggression continues to weigh on global energy and security. Further, Iran-backed aggression in the Middle East, specifically Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, presents new threats to global energy markets and our energy security,” the senators wrote. 

“To counter these influences, we must pursue an all-of-the-above energy strategy, which includes leveraging domestic biofuels. As your previous temporary waivers have proven, permitting the sale of higher blends of biofuels like E15 through the summer driving season bolsters the domestic fuel supply, lowers consumer costs, and promotes the environmental benefits of American biofuels and modern agriculture,” they continued. 

The bipartisan effort is backed by the National Corn Growers Association, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association.

In addition to Grassley, Thune and Durbin, cosigners include Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).
Source: Senator Chuck Grassley