MDA Commissioner applauds EPA ruling on increased ethanol use

E-15 approved for all cars manufactured since 2001

Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson says he’s pleased with today’s Environmental Protection Agency approval of the use of E15 in all cars made in the past decade. The federal agency confirmed 15 percent ethanol in gasoline is safe for cars manufactured between 2001 and 2006. In October, EPA approved 15 percent ethanol for all cars manufactured since 2007.

“Today’s EPA action reinforces research findings in Minnesota that blends of up to 20 percent ethanol are compatible with vehicles on the road today,” said Commissioner Frederickson. “This is an encouraging development for Minnesota’s ethanol industry which has been a model for reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Minnesota was the first state to implement an E10 requirement and has laid the groundwork to be the first state to require statewide use of E20 by 2013. Today, there are 21 ethanol plants in Minnesota with an annual production capacity of more than 1 billion gallons.