EPA Proposes Updated E16-E83 Blend Regs

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing several enhancements to the Renewable Fuel Standard and related fuel regulations "to support market growth of ethanol and other renewable fuels in the U.S."  One of the key actions proposed is an update to fuel regulations to expand the "availability of high ethanol fuel blends for use in flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs)," said EPA in their proposal found on the agency's rulemaking website.   FFVs, which currently account for roughly 8% of the U.S. passenger vehicle fleet, are designed to operate on any gasoline-ethanol mixture up to an 83% concentration of ethanol. "EPA is revising its gasoline regulations to make it clear that E16-E83 fuel blends are not gasoline, and hence not fully subject to gasoline quality standards," said the agency.