Trump lifts summer gasoline restrictions early as prices remain stubborn

The Trump administration is ending summertime smog restrictions on gasoline early this year in a bid to offer relief for high prices at the pump.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a waiver on Thursday allowing for sales of gasoline with a higher evaporation potential starting on Sept. 1, rather than the middle of the month. In the summer, this is typically banned to prevent evaporation and smog formation due to the heat. The EPA said the move would augment the nation’s gasoline supply by “hundreds of thousands” of barrels per day. Overall U.S. gas consumption was 8.9 million barrels per day on average in 2025. The move comes as the average U.S. gas price was about $4.10 per gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. The war in Iran has driven up the price of oil, and therefore the price of gasoline, as it has made oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint, volatile. In a statement on the latest action, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency is taking action to “provide relief at the pump and fortify our gasoline supply chain.”