Leave Some Fuel Alone, Says EAA

Some states have recognized various risks posed by ethanol-blended fuels and taken steps to ensure the availability of pure gasoline. For instance, last month the EPA revoked for California a long-standing mandate that refiners add ethanol to gasoline, but the decision will only go into effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register this summer; refiners do not yet know how it will alter the mix, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. EAA's home state of Wisconsin permits unaltered gas as long as it fits the "premium" octane level of 91 and EAA is suggesting that Washington adopt a similar exemption. Most users of ethanol-free fuel have neither the money nor the inclination to be storing large quantities of fuel so it has to be readily available through the regular distribution system. Assuming ethanol-free gas is available alongside the tipsy fuel, EAA said it's imperative that the pumps be clearly marked. As oil prices trend upwards, it's likely ethanol blending will be considered by many jurisdictions as a way of reducing dependence on oil imports. Washington legislators also see some home-grown economic benefits by way of using the state's agricultural capacity to produce the ethanol.