Work underway on a year-round E15 bill in the Senate

Efforts to secure year-round nationwide sales of E15 ethanol fuel remain active in the U.S. Senate, offering renewed hope for corn growers seeking expanded demand for their crop. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said that lawmakers are working on new legislation to allow permanent year-round sales of E15, though details of the proposal are still being negotiated. “We are trying to get an E15 bill, and what it looks exactly like is in the process of being determined,” Thune told Agri-Pulse. The legislation faces several hurdles. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said E15 falls under the jurisdiction of the Senate Environment Committee and is not expected to be included in upcoming farm bill proposals. Debate also continues over whether an E15 bill should include changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard. While some groups favor a stand-alone E15 measure, others support provisions that would limit biofuel blending exemptions for small refineries.