Tweet Post to Your Wall.

Higher Ethanol Blends Supported by Senators

A bipartisan group of Senators is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to approve higher percentages of ethanol blended gasoline for use in non-flex fuel vehicles. The letter points to new innovation and investment in the renewable fuels industry that's pushing ethanol production to what's known as the blend wall. The Senators say that's already impacting the ethanol industry with respect to investment in new biorefineries and second-generation biofuels.

According to the letter - an interim blend between E10 and E15 is necessary to meet the new RFS and to keep the renewable fuels industry growing. As second generation biofuels are developed and commercialized - the Senators stress the importance of supporting the steady expansion of markets for ethanol with a move to a higher percentage of ethanol blended gasoline in the near future.

The letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was signed by John Thune, R-S.D., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Sam Brownback, R-Kan., Tim Johnson, D-S.D., Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Mike Johanns. R-Neb., Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Roland Burris, D-Ill., Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Al Franken, D-Minn., Richard Lugar, R-Ind., Kit Bond, R-Mo., George Voinovich, R-Ohio, Evan Bayh, D-Ind., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.