Oil industry also sues EPA over higher ethanol blend

The American Petroleum Institute is a party to a lawsuit also filed Tuesday by food and farm groups against the Environmental Protection Agency for approving a higher blend of ethanol in gasoline.

API and nine other groups are arguing that EPA’s approval of E15 — composed of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol — for newer vehicles violates the Clean Air Act.


EPA last month granted a waiver allowing for E15 to be used in cars, light trucks and sport utility vehicles as old as model year 2007. The waiver does not mandate the use of E15 in these vehicles but simply gives the green light for its use. It increased the 10 percent ethanol limit per gallon for those vehicles.

API’s group director of downstream operations, Bob Greco, called the decision “premature” and said it “puts consumers at risk.” He argued that testing by the oil-and-gas industry, automakers and the Energy Department on whether E15 is safe is not yet complete. “Results so far have revealed potential safety and performance problems that could affect consumers and the investments they’ve made in their automobiles,” he said.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, the American Meat Institute, the National Council of Chain Restaurants and the National Pork Producers Council are among the other groups that filed the lawsuit against EPA’s decision. 

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis — whose company has led the ethanol industry's push for EPA to approve the E15 blend — said, “We are not surprised by the actions of these groups today. Having been unable to dispute the overwhelming science in favor of E15, they are now turning to the legal process to slow progress on renewable fuels."

EPA also might soon decide whether the higher ethanol blend is suitable for cars and light trucks in model years 2001 through 2006. The Energy Department is expected to complete testing this month. 

This story was corrected at 4:38 p.m. to indicate the groups are part of the same lawsuit