Lawmakers Unveil E15 Proposal Expanding Blending Exemptions

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Or sign-in if you have an account.A sign discloses that gasoline contains up to 10% ethanol at an Exxon gas station in Austin, Texas, US, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. The Trump administration will waive higher-ethanol E15 gasoline from US volatility requirements this summer, expanding sales and delivering a win for corn farmers and biofuels producers. Photographer: Kaylee Greenlee/Bloomberg Photo by Kaylee Greenlee /Bloomberg(Bloomberg) — US lawmakers unveiled biofuels legislation that would expand sales of higher-ethanol gasoline and give exemptions from annual blending mandates for some small oil refineries that have received them in the past.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe proposal, which is part of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s farm bill, is a stark shift from previous plans that would have cut those exemptions significantly. The draft also allows regulators to force companies that didn’t receive breaks to offset their competitors’ exemptions over the first 500 million exempted gallons of biofuel. The provision may mean that oil companies without small refining units have to foot even more of the bill for bringing biofuels to market.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againEfforts to authorize permanent sales of higher-ethanol, or E15, gasoline have failed for over a decade. A recent proposal that passed in the US House of Representatives paired E15 expansion with limits on exemptions from biofuel-blending requirements for small refineries — a provision that has drawn support from some large oil companies but sparked fierce resistance from smaller operators.A potential sticking point for the latest plan is that exemptions are partly based on whether refineries qualified in 2023-2025, yet some companies are still waiting to find out whether their facilities were eligible during that period. Some refiners have criticized the Environmental Protection Agency for repeatedly delaying decisions, going as far as to sue the agency.Under current rules, small refineries have to apply for hardship relief annually. The new proposal’s approach of effectively automatic exemptions for many facilities would be more predictable. A refinery qualifies as small if it processes no more than 75,000 barrels of crude a day — no matter the parent company’s size.“Our priority is to get E15 to the president’s desk, and we’re continuing to review the details of the language in the farm bill proposal,” said Emily Skor, chief executive officer of biofuels trade association Growth Energy.The farm bill faces obstacles before it could pass, including disagreements between political parties and potential pushback from various farm groups and refiners. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman said in a statement that lawmakers will begin marking up the text next week.The debate over biofuels is heating up as producers and farmers hunt for new sources of demand for crops. The stakes have only intensified since the Trump administration set record-high blend mandates earlier this year that are challenging the industry. As the costs of meeting the mandates have risen, so too has the value of an exemption.(Adds context, industry group quote beginning in fifth paragraph.)This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.