There is a catch to the EPA announcement -- a time limit of 30 calendar days to comment, during the busiest time of the year for most corn farmers and many livestock producers as well. The EPA is expected to publish a notice in the Federal Register next Wednesday, which will start the 30-day clock ticking. After that, the agency has 270 days from its receipt of the March 6 letter (December 1, 2009) to decide if it's going to allow higher blends.

According to Thune's office, here is how you can contact EPA:

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0211, by one of the following methods:

• www.regulations.gov
  Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: [email protected].
• Fax: (202) 566-1741.
• Mail:
  

  Air and Radiation Docket, Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0211
  Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T
  1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
  Washington, DC, 20460.
  (Please include a total of two copies.)

• Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

If you want to wade into the bureaucratic thicket on gasoline blends and the Clean Air Act before you write, visit www.epa.gov/otaq/additive.htm.