WASHINGTON May 3, 2012 – By increasing the blend rate to E15, petroleum companies can help decrease reliance on foreign oil and increase economic opportunity in rural America, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allowed the blending of up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline last month. USDA promoted the administration’s E15 approval in a statement released today and emphasized that before E15 can be sold, “manufacturers must first take additional measures to help ensure retail stations and other gasoline distributors understand and implement labeling rules and other E15-related requirements.”
The Renewable Fuel Standard, a long-term renewable fuel mandate established by Congress requires the use of 36 billion gallons of renewable transportation fuel by 2022. Advanced, low-carbon renewable fuels such as cellulosic biofuel must make up 21 billion gallons of this mandate.
"When we get to 36 billion gallons, that's going to mean that we will be importing fewer barrels of oil," said Vilsack. "That means that the wealth that we are currently transferring into those countries that don't necessarily agree with us and are from an unstable part of the world can be redirected into creating rural opportunities and jobs."
The Obama Administration has a goal to help fueling station owners install 10,000 blender pumps over the next 5 years.
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