Overview
- The EPA announced the emergency waiver on Thursday to permit sale of E10 gasoline with higher Reid Vapor Pressure starting September 1 to speed an early end to summer low‑volatility fuel rules.
- The agency says the move could add hundreds of thousands of barrels per day to U.S. supply and bring down pump prices, and the action was coordinated with the Department of Energy.
- The waiver is written to last for the initial 20 days and through the summer control season end on September 15, and the EPA said it may extend the flexibility if gasoline supplies remain tight.
- Public health and air quality advocates warn higher RVP fuel evaporates more easily and can raise ground‑level ozone and smog, and state fuel rules and local distribution limits could slow how quickly added supply reaches places like California.
- The action builds on earlier steps this summer to relieve supply pressure, including relaxed Jones Act shipping rules and broader E15 sales, as the administration seeks near‑term price relief while international tensions affect global crude flows.