NATSO, representing truckstops, travel plazas and off-highway fuel retailers, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers commended the Biden Administration for permitting year-round sales of gasoline containing 15% ethanol (E15). The groups cautioned, however, that ongoing impediments related to infrastructure compatibility could limit market penetration of higher blends of ethanol being sold in the United States.
The NATSO and SIGMA advocated for year-round E15 sales to help lower fuel prices for consumers while enhancing the industry’s fuel options and improving the carbon intensity of those fuels.
“We support removing unnecessary regulatory barriers to the sale of higher ethanol blends. E15 offers retailers an opportunity to diversify fuel options and improve gasoline’s emissions characteristics while lowering costs for consumers and enhancing America’s energy security,” said David Fialkov, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs for NATSO, speaking on behalf of NATSO and SIGMA. “Fuel retailers will continue to face obstacles to investing in E15, primarily in the form of infrastructure compatibility concerns and associated liability exposure. While today’s announcement is positive, until these obstacles are removed they will impede the sale of higher ethanol blends.”
Specifically, fuel retailers must grapple with a state-by-state patchwork of expensive infrastructure compatibility requirements. Fuel retailers also face liability concerns if consumers misfuel their vehicles, potentially voiding their manufacturer’s vehicle warranty.
The igroups look forward to working with the Administration, lawmakers and all industry stakeholders to address these outstanding concerns.
