By Stephanie Kelly

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – A bipartisan group U.S. governors wrote to President Biden on Thursday asking for advice on a possible action to increase sales of ethanol-rich fuels.

This letter was sent to Environmental Protection Agency after the U.S. appeals court rejected a 2019 U.S. order that would have allowed the year-round selling of E15. Farm and biofuel associations that advocated year-round sales of the blend, known as E15, were angered by the court’s ruling.

The letter was signed by seven governors. It referred to a provision of the U.S. Clean Air Act which allows them to request that E15 is sold in their states throughout the year.

The group includes Tim Walz, a Democratic Governor from Minnesota, and Kim Reynolds, a Republican Governor from Iowa.

In the letter, the governors asked for guidance from EPA about what support documentation they should submit to a request.

The letter was welcomed by several groups, including the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IARFFA) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

Monte Shaw, Executive Director of Iowa Renewable Fuels Association stated that everyone hopes Congress and EPA take steps to ensure nationwide E15 access on a continuous basis. If no national solution can be found in a timely manner, the governors are empowered to create a solution for each state.