EPA temporarily permits nationwide E15 gasoline sales

In response to rising global fuel prices, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has temporarily authorized the nationwide sale of gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol, known as E15. This decision has prompted online claims in both the U.S. and Canada that the fuel damages engines and offers poor fuel economy, but experts say these concerns are largely overstated for modern vehicles.

The U.S. move follows broader market pressures affecting fuel costs. In Canada, federal regulations already require fuel producers and importers to maintain an average renewable content, such as ethanol, of at least 4 percent in gasoline. Provincial mandates vary, with requirements ranging from 5 percent in Alberta and British Columbia to 11 percent in Ontario, with several provinces planning increases to 15 percent by 2030 under the national Clean Fuel Regulations. Despite these standards, E15 is not yet widely available at Canadian pumps.

Bradley Saville, a professor of chemical engineering and applied chemistry at the University of Toronto, stated that ethanol blends up to E15 have been approved for use in all vehicles manufactured since 2001, based on U.S. Environmental Protection...