The White House of Trump asks Congress for approval to sell E15 year-round

The White House of President Donald Trump asked Congress to pass a bill on Wednesday allowing gasoline with higher ethanol levels all year round. This would revive a long-sought goal of the biofuels sector.

Trump has supported year-round gasoline sales that are blended with 15% of ethanol for some time, but this is the first official push from his White House to implement the policy. It also signals a willingness by the White House to take on U.S. refiners who have opposed the measure because they were concerned it would increase costs and complicate the fuel distribution. This is also the latest effort by the White House to reduce gasoline prices, which have been rising since the joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran late in February. Supporters of the measure argue that the higher-ethanol mix provides motorists with an alternative to conventional 'gasoline. The White House Office of Management and Budget released a bill supplemental on Wednesday asking Congress to fix the "urgent and necessary fix" that codifies E-15's permanent year-round sales. The 10% blend of gasoline, also known as E15 can be sold all year round, but the 15% blend is only allowed to be sold during the summer months because it evaporates more easily in hot weather, and contributes to a buildup of ozone. The House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill allowing the year-round sale of E15 gas earlier this year. This was a win for ethanol producers and lawmakers from farm states who had pushed for a change for years. The proposal will face a more difficult climb in the Senate where it is generally required to have 60 votes for major legislation. The Senate is divided, and many lawmakers are aligned with the refining industry who oppose the measure. Supporters have been unable to build the bipartisan coalition required for passage. As of Wednesday morning, the average national price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.93. This has been falling ever since the United States, Iran and other countries agreed to end hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz and reopen it as a vital shipping artery. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Editing by Chris Reese & David Gaffen).

(source: Reuters)