ST. PAUL – President Joe Biden is traveling to Iowa today to announce his administration will issue a waiver to allow the widespread sale of E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol mixed with gasoline, during the summer months.

“This is welcome news for Minnesota’s corn growers and drivers,” said Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) President Gary Wertish. “Not only will this action lower prices at the pump, but also it will use more ethanol, a renewable fuel made locally in Minnesota. In addition, ethanol burns cleaner than pure gasoline.”

MFU supports expanding the use of biofuels, including moving toward statewide E15 to provide farmers with a value-added market for their farm products and to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow the widespread sale of E15, which is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15. The move is expected to save drivers about 10 cents a gallon.

“We thank Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, for their support of the waiver,” Wertish added. Gov. Walz sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan asking him to waive E15 summer ban to bring certainty to the Midwestern fuel market. The senators joined a bipartisan letter calling on the president to authorize the year-round use of E15 as part of the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

About Minnesota Farmers Union

Minnesota Farmers Union works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to everyone. Learn more and join at www.mfu.org and follow MFU on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Minnesota Farmers Union—Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers (www.mfu.org).