Michigan Bill Aims to End Split State Regulations Blocking Year-Round E15 Sales
Key Takeaways
- •House Bill 6281 would permit year-round E15 gasoline sales in Michigan and has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- •Eight Michigan counties currently cannot sell E15 during summer months unless waivers are granted due to stricter state fuel standards.
- •Neyer estimates the bill could save drivers up to 30 cents per gallon on summer fuel.
- •The bill would amend Michigan's Motor Fuels Quality Act to align state standards with the federal Clean Air Act.
- •Several Midwestern corn-producing states, including Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio, have secured or sought EPA approval for summer E15 sales since a 2019 federal rule change.
New legislation in Michigan would permit the sale of E15 gasoline year-round, according to the chair of the Michigan House Agriculture Committee.
Representative Jerry Neyer told Brownfield that split state regulations currently prevent eight counties from selling E15 during the summer months unless waivers are granted. E15 is a gasoline blend containing up to 15 percent ethanol, and Michigan's patchwork of rules has left those counties subject to stricter summer fuel standards than the rest of the state.
"It was done for pollution efforts put in place back in the 90s," Neyer said. "The car efficiencies and the way that the pollutants that are in the air have reduced so much there that there's virtually no effect when you switch from one to the other."
Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a state of energy emergency in April to waive gasoline restrictions, and the Michigan legislature extended that declaration through September 15 to help reduce consumer fuel costs.
The Republican-backed bill would amend Michigan's Motor Fuels Quality Act to align state gasoline standards with the federal Clean Air Act and federal regulations. Neyer said he is optimistic the bill could help drivers save up to 30 cents a gallon during the summer.
The push in Michigan mirrors a broader trend in corn-producing states. In 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lifted a federal barrier to year-round E15 sales, and several Midwestern states, including Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio, have since secured or sought EPA approval to allow summer E15 sales within their borders. Year-round availability also matters to Michigan's agricultural economy, since ethanol is produced from corn and expanded E15 sales can add demand for the crop. Neyer is a farmer and serves on the House Agriculture Committee, which has a stake in biofuels policy.
House Bill 6281 has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Brownfield interviewed Neyer during the Great Lakes Sustainable Fuel Symposium in Detroit on Wednesday.
Source: Brownfield Ag News
Bill text: Michigan House Bill 6281
