The Big Story 

The Biden administration will allow eight states to sell gasoline made up of a higher concentration of ethanol all year— though it’s doing so one-year later than it had originally proposed. 

© iStock

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday issued a rule that grants a request from the states to sell gasoline made up of 15 percent ethanol, rather than the typical 10 percent or less.

The states are: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. 

Support in some of those states could be crucial for President Biden as he seeks reelection this fall.

The states said in their 2022 letter  that year-round sales would “help provide relief, flexibility, and certainty in the fuel market” at a time when the world was seeing high fuel prices. Higher demand for ethanol could also be a boon for corn farmers in their states. 

In most of the country, 15-percent ethanol cannot be sold due to concerns that it forms smog in hot weather.

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads 

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

United Nations criticizes ‘forever chemical’ contamination in North Carolina

EPA takes issue with Georgia agency’s approval of state utility’s ash disposal plan

California water regulator boosts 2024 allocations amid optimistic outlook

In Other News 

Branch out with a different read on The Hill:

Banks backpedal on climate amid federal scrutiny, anti-ESG pressure

Many of the largest U.S. banks and asset managers are retreating from their climate commitments amid rising federal scrutiny and an assault on environmentally conscious investing in state legislatures.

What We’re Reading 

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

• The Rising Cost of the Oil Industry’s Slow Death (ProPublica/Capital and Main)
  
  

• Sanctuaries Can Protect Animals From Abuse, but Not From Climate Change ( The New York Times)

   

• What Will It Take for the EPA to Ban a Pesticide Linked to Parkinson’s? (The New Republic)

What Others are Reading 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Indicted FBI informant central to GOP Biden probe rearrested

The FBI informant indicted for making up an allegation central to the GOP impeachment case against President Biden was rearrested Thursday morning, according to court documents. Read more

Trump Georgia prosecutor objects to questioning of ex-attorney in Fani Willis probe

A special prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case involving former President Trump objected Thursday to a judge’s plan to question his former attorney behind closed doors about the timeline of his relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D). Read more

Opinions in The Hill 

Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: