EPA waives summer gasoline rules from Sept. 1 to lower pump prices
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will allow winter-grade gasoline blended with 10% ethanol starting Sept. 1, about two weeks earlier than normal, to boost fuel supply and lower pump prices. U.S. regular gasoline averaged $4.10 a gallon Thursday, up from $3.13 a year earlier, according to AAA. The waiver applies in smog-prone parts of Texas, Arizona and California.
Key Facts
- The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will allow gasoline blended with 10% ethanol and higher Reid Vapor Pressure beginning Sept. 1, about two weeks earlier than normal.
- U.S. regular gasoline averaged $4.10 per gallon on Thursday, up from $3.13 a year earlier, according to AAA motor club data.
- The EPA said the waiver would boost domestic gasoline supply by hundreds of thousands of barrels per day.
- The waiver applies in parts of the country where smog is a problem, including Texas, Arizona and California, though some states maintain their own gasoline requirements.
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said President Trump has prioritized ensuring affordable gasoline and energy for American families.
EPA Waiver Terms
The EPA said it would allow sale of 10% ethanol, or E10, gasoline with a higher Reid Vapor Pressure beginning Sept. 1, about two weeks earlier than normal. The United States typically requires summer gasoline blends through Sept. 15 to reduce smog-forming evaporation in warmer weather. Low-volatility summer fuel requires more expensive blending ingredients, while the winter-grade blend enables a cheaper but dirtier-burning product. The waiver allows fuel refiners and distributors to switch over gasoline pumps in parts of the country where smog is a problem. The administration said the change would effectively end the summer-blend requirement early and boost domestic gasoline supply by hundreds of thousands of barrels per day.
Pump Prices and Political Pressure
U.S. regular gasoline averaged $4.10 per gallon Thursday, up from $3.13 a year earlier, according to AAA motor club data. Prices have been above $4 a gallon since mid-July, about $1 more per gallon than when the Iran war began, and the highest U.S. drivers have ever paid this late in the year. The Energy Department forecasts gasoline prices will remain high through the end of the year and recently revised its monthly outlook higher as the U.S. and Iran have failed to reach a deal to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. High pump prices are a vulnerability for Trump and fellow Republicans as they try to retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections. Other administration steps to lower fuel costs include allowing foreign ships to transport oil between U.S. ports and authorizing more sales of higher-ethanol E15 gasoline during summer.
2 sources
EPA waives summer gasoline rules from Sept. 1 to lower pump prices
