Some automakers, manufacturers of small engines used in boats and lawnmowers, and environmental groups oppose the idea, asserting that higher ethanol blends do damage engines and anti-pollution devices such as catalytic converters.
The EPA had earlier said it would make a decision by 1 December.
In a letter to Growth Energy, EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy says the agency’s engineering assessment to date indicates that the “robust fuel, engine and emissions control systems on newer vehicles (likely 2001 and newer model years) will likely be able to accommodate higher ethanol blends, such as E15.”
Even
