Supreme Court blocks bid to revive year-round E15 sales

"The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned away an industry group's bid to revive a decision made by the Environmental Protection Agency under former President Donald Trump to allow expanded sales of gasoline that has a higher ethanol blend, called E15," Stephanie Kelly reports for Reuters. "The action by the justices dealt a blow to the ethanol industry, which wants to increase sales and access to E15. Growth Energy, a biofuels industry group that had filed a petition asking the justices to review a lower court's ruling vacating the Trump administration E15 policy, expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court's decision."

Until EPA reversed its policy in 2019, E15 sales were banned in summer because of concern that it contributes to smog on hot days. A federal appeals court panel ruled unanimously in 2021 that EPA overstepped its authority when it followed President Trump's order to allow year-round E15 sales.

"E15 is a small part of the U.S. fuel market, perhaps 520 million gallons a year, but proponents see it as a lever to expand ethanol’s share of the gasoline market, which totaled around 135 billion gallons in 2021," Chuck Abbott reports for the Food & Environment Reporting Network. "The traditional blend of ethanol is 10%."