NEW YORK- A bipartisan group of U.S. governors sent a letter to the Biden administration on Thursday to ask for guidance on an action that could expand sales of a fuel with a higher ethanol blend.

The letter sent to the Environmental Protection Agency comes after an appeals court in July struck down a U.S. action from 2019 that had allowed year-round sales of the blend, known as E15. The court ruling drew anger from farm and biofuel groups that had advocated for year-round sales as it boosts demand for their products. 

In the letter, the group of seven governors pointed to a section of the U.S. Clean Air Act that allows governors to effectively request from EPA that E15 be sold in their state all year.

"In the wake of the court decision, we are exploring all of our options to ensure retailers are able to sell E15 to consumers all year long without interruption," said the group, which includes Republican Governor Kim Reynolds from Iowa and Democratic Governor Tim Walz from Minnesota.

The governors in the letter requested guidance from EPA as to what supporting documentation they need to submit a request.

Groups including the Renewable Fuels Association and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association cheered the letter.

"Ethanol producers and farmers stand with these governors, and we will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of an open and competitive marketplace for E15 and other lower-cost, lower-carbon ethanol blends," said RFA President Geoff Cooper.

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Karishma Singh) ((Stephanie.Kelly@thomsonreuters.com; 646-223-4471; Reuters Messaging: stephanie.kelly.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))