This is the week that ethanol supporters have been promised a House vote on legislation to allow uninterrupted sales of E15 and there is some optimism it just might pass this time.

Under the rule adopted during the Farm Bill discussion two weeks ago, the Farm Bill passed by the House can only be sent to the Senate with the E15 legislation. That gives Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw hope it will make it this time. “If the last decade has taught us anything, it’s that the path toward nationwide E15 is never straight or easy,” said Shaw. “But with the rule on our side, we are confident that an E15 vote will occur on May 13, and we are confident of growing, bipartisan support on the House floor for E15.”

However, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper notes that groups supporting the major refining companies blocking the bill continue to spread false information and assert that allowing retail gas stations to voluntarily offer E15 would somehow lead to “higher gas prices” and restricting small refinery exemptions to truly small refining companies would somehow result in “refinery closures” and “lost jobs.”

According to e15prices.com, the average E15 price (reported by real people at real gas stations) in recent weeks has been 42 cents per gallon less than E10 prices at those same stations. That’s a savings of over 10 percent. And when compared to prices for E0 (what many like to call “ethanol-free” gasoline), E15 is typically priced at a discount of $1 or more. Yet, the anti-E15 cabal expects you to somehow believe that voluntary E15 expansion (i.e., NO ONE is asking for E15 to be mandated) mysteriously translates to higher pump prices.

It’s common sense: ethanol costs less than gasoline—a lot less—at wholesale terminals where fuels are blended. Adding more low-cost ethanol will result in a lower price for the finished fuel.

The bill is on the House calendar for Wednesday, May 13. “We know it has the votes to pass,” said Cooper in the latest Ethanol Report podcast. “We’re not giving up. We’re not backing down. And in fact, I think people are more motivated than ever. To to stay vocal, stay loud, stay in front of Congress on this farmers, fuel retailers, oil refiners, ethanol producers. And frankly, anybody who wants lower gas prices is, you know, we need to continue demanding action and ensuring that this vote on year round E15 happens on May 13th and is not further delayed.”