E15 Still Available at Iowa Gas Stations

The Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa disputes claims that Big Oil is shutting out homegrown E15.

June 05, 2013

JOHNSTON, Iowa – Linn Coop Oil Company claims that Big Oil has refused to allow their stations to sell homegrown E15 in Iowa. “Here at Linn Coop, we want to sell homegrown fuels and my customers want to take advantage of clean-burning, low-cost fuels like E15, but refiners are using their monopoly to keep me from offering E15 year-round,” said Jim Becthold, Linn Coop Oil Company service manager, in a press release.

However, that’s not the whole story. According to Dawn Carlson, CAE and president of the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa, “Iowa petroleum marketers can, in fact, sell E15 today to fuel flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs). Effective June 1 each year through September 15 each year, Iowa marketers are allowed to sell E15 to flex-fuel vehicles only. Federal law prohibits the sale of ethanol blended gasoline above a 10% blend (E10) to non-FFVs during this time period.”

Carlson pointed out to NACS Daily that the fuel that is supplied to Iowa in the summer months is in full compliance with 40 CFR 80.27, which sets forth the Controls and Prohibitions on Gasoline Volatility. “Lost in the sensationalism is the fact that Congress and the Environmental Protection Association had the opportunity to extend the 1psi summertime waiver that exists for E10 to E15 and they chose not to. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, there are 86,000 FFVs registered in the state of Iowa which could be using E15 to E85; most of these vehicles are owned by the government.”

“With the price of gas surging in the Midwest, Iowans should have as many choices at the pump as possible. With their actions, oil companies are essentially restricting the sale of E15, a fuel option that helps reduce the price of gasoline. That’s why they should immediately reverse course and agree to ship blendstock that allows the sale of E15 to more drivers,” said U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) at a press conference this week with Becthold.

“As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), Braley should understand that it is Congress’s actions that have restricted petroleum marketers to selling E15 only to FFVs during the summer months,” said Carlson.  

“Iowa petroleum marketers have invested tens of millions of dollars in building the infrastructure to offer renewable fuels, even funding infrastructure grants with the industry’s petroleum underground storage tank cleanup fund managed by the state,” said Carlson. “We are confident as consumers ask for higher blends, we will be ready to offer it and the oil companies will provide it — that is how the free market works in America.”

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