Federal appeals court rejects petition for E15 suit rehearing

A federal appeals court for the District of Columbia rejected a petition to rehear a legal challenge to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s allowing introduction of gasoline with a higher ethanol blend into the marketplace.

The Jan. 15 ruling followed the US District Court’s earlier ruling that the American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, and Independent Liquid Terminals Association lacked legal standing in the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s suit against EPA’s waiver allowing sales of gasoline with a 15% ethanol blend.

AFPM General Counsel Rich Moskowitz expressed disappointment in the decision. “We remain concerned that EPA’s partial waiver will result in significant misfueling and will harm consumers,” he said. “EPA has authorized the sale of an ethanol blend that virtually every automobile manufacturer has warned will damage existing vehicles.”

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].