Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025
Key claim: The bill would extend the Reid Vapor Pressure waiver currently applicable to E10 gasoline to E15 blends, allowing year-round E15 sales nationwide, while nullifying existing state exclusions and adjusting small refinery Renewable Fuel Standard compliance credits.
Abstract
(S593 · 119th Congress) Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline’s volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that is applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15). This change allows gasoline that is blended with 10% to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round. Currently, states may be excluded from the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements by submitting documentation supporting that the waiver would increase air pollution. The bill nullifies existing state exclusions, but states may submit documentation after enactment of the bill to be excluded going forward. The bill also modifies the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, which requires transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States to contain minimum volumes of renewable fuel. Under the existing program, obligated parties, such as small refineries, must satisfy the volume obligations by either blending renewable fuels into their gasoline or diesel fuel products or by acquiring credits that represent the required renewable fuel volume. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to return compliance credits to small refineries under certain circumstances. Latest action (2025-02-13): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Why this matters
Extending the E15 RVP waiver would remove a longstanding summer-season sales barrier for higher-ethanol gasoline, expanding demand for corn-based ethanol and giving fuel retailers a uniform nationwide compliance regime. For farmers, this could sustain or increase ethanol-driven corn prices; for consumers, effects on pump prices depend on regional blend economics and refinery adjustments. The small refinery RFS credit changes also shift the compliance-cost distribution across the fuel supply chain.