A bill aimed at enabling California gas stations to sell “cleaner, cheaper” gasoline blended with fuel has recently passed the State Assembly and is now awaiting a hearing in the Senate.
The AB30 bill proposes to authorize the sale and use of E15 gasoline in California, which is gasoline blended with 15% ethanol. The primary sponsor of the bill, State Assemblyman David Alvarez from San Diego, referred to AB30 as the “Cleaner, Cheaper Fuels Act.” He stated that California drivers could save up to 20 cents per gallon by using this fuel.
Alvarez pointed out that California is the only state in the US that currently prohibits the use of E15 gasoline, and the passage of this bill would bring the state in line with others across the country. He emphasized that AB30 aims to address the regulatory delay by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding E15 policy.
He mentioned that CARB initiated the approval process for E15 as far back as 2018 but has made “almost no progress since 2022.” Alvarez expressed in a press release after the bill’s passage that “for years, the California Air Resources Board has dragged its feet on taking action on E15—despite the fuel being proven successful across the US. This unnecessary regulatory barrier has prevented consumers from accessing cleaner, more affordable fuel options.”
“Now, in addition to considering environmental impacts, it’s time for CARB to also consider the economic interests of everyday consumers who are suffering from high gas prices,” he urged.
Although E15 (commonly sold under the brand “Unleaded 88”) is in use in many states, its potential to exacerbate smog pollution has led to its seasonal ban in compliance with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.
However, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an emergency fuel waiver on April 28th this year, allowing for the year-round sale of E15 gasoline across the country. An EPA press release stated, “This action aligns with President Trump’s previously signed National Emergency Executive Order on Energy, which directed EPA to consider issuing an emergency waiver to allow for the year-round sale of E15 gasoline.”
Previously, about half of the states in the US prohibited the sale of E15 gasoline during the summer. This means that wholesale terminals couldn’t sell E15 from May 1st, and gas stations couldn’t do so from June 1st each year.
Alvarez mentioned that his colleagues had introduced a similar bill last year, and this current version is a reintroduction. The bill from last year also passed the State Assembly but did not proceed to the State Senate for consideration.
Due to the higher ethanol content, E15 is believed to have lower fuel efficiency compared to the standard 87 octane (containing a maximum of 10% ethanol). Considering air quality and potential damage to vehicles, the EPA only permits the use of E15 in flexible fuel vehicles and conventional vehicles manufactured in 2001 or later.
The EPA explicitly prohibits the use of E15 in motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles (such as school buses and trucks), off-road vehicles (like small boats and snowmobiles), as well as non-road equipment (such as chainsaws and lawnmowers).