Governors' Biofuels Coalition

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has commenced review of EPA’s final rule allowing year-round sales of 15 percent ethanol fuel (E15) in Midwestern states, increasing the agency’s chances of meeting its March 28 target date for release of the rule as officials from the region press for action.

In a Nov. 29 legal filing in the case, EPA air chief Joe Goffman noted that EPA is now reviewing 10 petitions to delay the rule. “This rulemaking requires the resolution of unique issues involving the fuel system throughout the nation,” Goffman said. “This rule is likely to have significant fuel system impacts, including the production of new additional grades of gasoline at refineries, coordination between parties in the fuel distribution system to distribute these new additional grades, and ultimately ensuring the availability of the gasoline at retail stations in the petitioning states. Given these impacts, we must coordinate our final rulemaking action not only with [the Energy Department] as required, but also with other entities within the administration,” Goffman said.

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