Senate Republicans aim to embed permanent year-round E15 sales in farm bill
Senate GOP leaders plan to attach language that would allow year-round sales of E15 gasoline to the upcoming farm bill, a less expansive version than the House version passed in May.
A group of Senate Republicans is set to add a clause permitting year-round sales of E15 gasoline to the farm bill that will be marked up on Thursday, Aug. 6. The measure is less ambitious than the version the House approved in May, which limited exemptions for certain small refiners. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman will oversee the markup, though a number of GOP senators have expressed reservations about the provision.
The wording aligns with legislation championed by Senators Deb Fischer and Shelly Capito, according to unnamed sources. Negotiators say attaching the amendment to the farm bill gives it the strongest chance of moving forward while trying to balance the interests of the refining sector. Sources close to the talks indicated that the effort seeks a compromise that expands ethanol use without triggering industry pushback.
Why it matters
The change could affect gasoline composition nationwide and impact both ethanol producers and small refiners.
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