"EPA Says It Expects to Raise Amount of Ethanol Allowed in Fuel Blends to 15%"

"The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that it would probably increase the amount of ethanol that gasoline retailers could blend into ordinary fuel, to 15 percent, if tests established that the blend would not damage cars.

The maximum ethanol blend is now 10 percent, except for cars specially equipped to handle higher blends. The agency said it was likely to approve the increase to 15 percent next summer, perhaps for use only in cars of the 2001 model year and later."

Matthew L. Wald reports for the New York Times December 1, 2009.