Oregon approves summer sales of E15 gasoline for 2026 season

Oregon drivers got a new seasonal fuel option after state regulators approved temporary summer sales of E15, a move that could reach Union County pumps this season if station owners decide to carry it.

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission approved the change at its May 14-15 meeting in Salem. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality officials said the temporary action aligns Oregon with a nationwide emergency fuel waiver issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on March 25, with the federal waiver taking effect May 1 to help prevent fuel disruptions and keep more gasoline on the market.

E15 is gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol. It is usually restricted during the hotter months because it evaporates more easily than other blends, which can contribute to air pollution. The Congressional Research Service says E15 generally cannot be sold during the summer driving season, defined there as June 1 through Sept. 15, because it does not meet federal Reid vapor pressure requirements under the Clean Air Act.

For Union County, the practical question is whether local retailers will stock it. If stations in La Grande, Island City, Elgin, Cove, or elsewhere in the county decide to offer E15, drivers could see another fuel choice during the summer travel season. That may matter in a county where long drives, farm equipment, and work vehicles are part of daily life and where even small changes in fuel supply can affect household and business budgets.

State regulators said the temporary change gives fuel suppliers regulatory clarity and helps reduce the risk of supply disruptions. The commission also delegated authority to DEQ Director Leah Feldon to make timely adjustments if the EPA extends, modifies, or ends its waivers later this summer.

Federal officials have framed the waiver as a way to strengthen the domestic gasoline supply chain and provide more options at the pump. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said summer E15 sales would create a bigger domestic market for farmers, while EPA officials said the temporary rule is meant to keep fuel flowing during the summer driving season.

The Oregon action is not a permanent rewrite of the state’s fuel rules. It is a temporary accommodation tied to the federal waiver system, the same approach EPA has used in prior summer seasons. For eastern Oregon drivers, that means E15 may show up as a short-term market option, not a year-round guarantee.