The Environmental Protection Agency said Nov. 10 that it continues to review a waiver seeking an increase in the ethanol content level in gasoline from the current maximum 10 percent cap to 15 percent.

Growth Energy petitioned the EPA earlier in the year, triggering a provision in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that set a Dec. 1 deadline for the EPA administrator to either grant or deny the waiver for a higher ethanol blend rate in gasoline.

A news report published Nov. 9 quoted Lisa Jackson, the EPA administrator, as saying the agency might not meet the Dec. 1 deadline, indicating that the agency is still reviewing test results on the possible impact of an E15 blend on differing engines.

In response to a request for comment on Jackson's remarks, EPA spokeswoman Cathy Milbourn said in an email statement, “The statutory deadline for action on the Growth Energy waiver request is December 1, 2009. According to the Energy Independence and Security Act, the "Administrator shall take final action to grant or deny an application ... within 270 days.”

She added, “At this time, EPA continues to work with the Department of Energy to assess data on the impact of E15 on vehicle operations. We will continue to move forward expeditiously with our work on the Growth Energy waiver request.”