The U.S. House of Representatives on May 13 approved a bill that would permanently authorize nationwide, year-round commercial distribution of E15 gasoline—a fuel blend containing up to 15 percent ethanol—sending the measure to the Senate after a 218-203 vote.
H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, would also allow the sale of E15, normally available seasonally due to smog concerns, to be year-round.
E15 is currently available at more than 4,900 retail fuel locations across the United States, and typically sells for 20 to 40 cents per gallon less than standard E10 gasoline, according to e85prices.com.
Under the Clean Air Act, E15 is barred from summer sale—generally from June 1 through Sept. 15—because its higher evaporation rate in hot weather increases the potential for ground-level ozone and smog formation, which violates the Act’s Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements….