Lawmakers debate year-round sales of E15 as gas prices remain high

GARNETT, Kan. — KSHB 41 anchor/reporter JuYeon Kim covers agricultural issues and the fentanyl crisis. Share your story idea with JuYeon.

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Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are debating whether to make E15 available to consumers year-round.

E15 is an alternative fuel blend made up of 15 percent ethanol and gasoline. Most drivers today run on E10.

Right now, E15 is not allowed to be sold in the summer because of concerns about ground-level ozone and smog. But the Environmental Protection Agency has issued a five-year waiver, citing expensive gas prices and geopolitical reasons.

“If we’ve been using the product, let’s just make it so we use it all the time,” said Bill Pracht, president and CEO of East Kansas Ag Energy. “This fuel is the most tested fuel ever in the United States.”

Fabian Rosales

Pracht oversees the multi-day operation of turning corn into ethanol. From start to finish, the corn gets milled, mixed with water and enzymes to break down the starch, fermented, distilled, and finally the alcohol, or ethanol, is separated from the rest.

Fabian Rosales

Pracht says there is virtually no waste. A third of the product becomes distiller’s grain, and the last third becomes CO2.

Fabian Rosales

Outside his 9-to-5, Pracht has been pushing for E15, saying year-round sales of E15 will save drivers 10 to 25 cents a gallon at the pump. Any car built after 2001 can use it.

“Wholesale gasoline for around three dollars a gallon. Our product sells for about two dollars a gallon,” said Pracht.

Fabian Rosales

He also believes it will boost the U.S. corn industry while keeping profits hyper-local.

“Used to be 95 percent of the corn in this area exported to the poultry markets in Southern Missouri. And now that corn stays here,” said Pracht.

So why not make it year-round? State President of the Kansas Farm Bureau Glenn Brunkow put it this way.

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“The refinery lobby is powerful, and it’s not beneficial to their business,” said Brunkow.

KSHB 41 reached out to Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming and Representative Chip Roy of Texas, who have been vocal in their opposition, to share their concerns about how this would impact their respective refinery states. We have not heard back.

The divide over how to move forward is largely why this issue is stalling in the U.S. Congress.

The Senate Farm Bill, including this provision, did not get enough votes. A standalone House bill passed, but it has been bottlenecked in the Senate.

While the fate of year-round E15 sales remains in limbo, advocates continue to boast about the benefits, such as energy independence.

Fabian Rosales

“The more corn we use ourselves, the less we rely on trade, and we know that trade can be kind of iffy,” said Brunkow.

And price competition.

“If your local gas station has it and he’s offering gas 15 cents cheaper, well the guy down the street is gonna see that and say we’re gonna have to do that too,” said Pracht.

Pracht knows the transition from E10 to E15 will not come overnight. He just hopes momentum does not grind to a halt.

“There’s no need to wait any longer,” said Pracht.

KSHB 41 reached out to the Mid-America Regional Council, the air quality forum for the Kansas City region. MARC has not adopted a position on year-round sales of E15 just yet. Leadership sent KSHB 41 a statement saying in part:

"We are continuing to learn about E15 and its environmental benefits and impact on public health, and will collaborate with local partners, as requested, to share information on this issue."

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