By Trish Svoboda
Last week, Rep. Sharice Davids initiated several measures aimed at reducing expenses for families in Kansas and nationwide. She began by announcing that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had granted her request for a national emergency fuel waiver. This move permits the sale of more affordably produced fuel, leading to savings for Kansans at the fuel pump.
The EPA’s waiver will enable the distribution of E15 – a fuel mixture containing 10.5 to 15 percent ethanol – throughout the summer of 2024 in Kansas. Given that ethanol is domestically produced using local resources and costs less than unblended, unleaded gasoline, this measure will reduce fuel expenses for Kansans, support local agricultural experts, and enhance domestic supply chains.
Rep. Davids, along with several lawmakers, said they asked for the waiver. ‘Because ethanol is produced domestically from local products and at a cheaper rate than unblended, unleaded gasoline, this action will lower the cost of gas for Kansans, support local agriculture professionals, and improve domestic supply chains,’ according to a statement from Davids’ office.
Davids has highlighted several measures she endorses to reduce gas prices, including:
• Backing a bipartisan bill that would permanently allow the nationwide sale of this fuel all year round.
• Casting her vote in favor of the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act, which permits retailers to sell fuels with a higher ethanol blend throughout the year,
• Aiding in the passage of a bill that encourages the use of sustainable aviation fuel, a liquid fuel that significantly reduces emissions compared to traditional jet fuel,
• Endorsing a bill that broadens the biofuels infrastructure, thereby creating new market possibilities for sustainable fuel sources and reducing energy expenses for families in Kansas,
• Urging the President to halt the federal gas tax, offering immediate relief to Kansans at the gas pump.
The Clean Air Act is credited by the EPA for the approval of the waiver.
The emergency fuel waiver will go into effect on May 1, and last through May 20, the maximum time allowed for the waiver.
