President Biden is expected to announce that the Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow the sale of E15 gasoline in the summer months, in an attempt to provide Americans with more affordable fuel. Currently, E15 gasoline (gasoline with a 15% ethanol blend) is available at 2,300 gas stations nationwide but cannot be sold in most parts of the country from June to the middle of September.
The EPA waiver would help increase supplies, give consumers a choice of lower fuel prices (10 cents less per gallon on average) and enable families to save money, the White House said.
Since President Biden’s ban on imports of Russian oil, he has authorized a historic release of petrol reserves to put 240 million barrels –1 million barrels of oil each day– on the market in the next six months.
A senior administration official said that allowing the sale of E15 gasoline will provide a source of fuel that wouldn’t be dependent on the volatile oil market, accentuated by Putin’s war on Ukraine.
The White House claims that Biden’s actions are in line with the administration’s goals of energy independence and the development of sustainable, domestic fuels.
However, it is not yet known how environmental activists will react and what the environmental impact will be. The White House has said that the EPA will be working with states across the country to make sure there are no negative effects on the air quality.
Biden’s critics say that his actions are just attempts to deflect blame for rising prices and inflation on Russia and to offer temporary relief. According to some polls, only 29 percent of people in America approve of how Biden has handled inflation, and it appears inflation could be the issue most Americans see as the greatest challenge, as prices keep rising.