California has moved closer to making E15, a fuel blend containing 15% ethanol, available to motorists after Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation removing a regulatory hurdle for its sale in the state, Energy.Agwired reported.
Newsom signed Senate Bill 795, known as the “E15 Clean-up Act”, over the weekend after the California Legislature unanimously passed the measure on August 31. The legislation addresses an equipment-related regulatory issue linked to last year’s Assembly Bill 30, which authorised the sale of E15 in California.
The new law allows fuel retailers to use existing vapor recovery equipment to dispense E15, provided the equipment manufacturer submits a statement confirming its compatibility to the relevant state agencies, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).
Newsom said the measure would give consumers another fuel option while helping diversify California’s fuel supply. He also said the legislation removes unnecessary regulatory barriers while retaining existing environmental and safety standards.
The RFA welcomed the governor’s decision. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said the legislation brings California closer to offering motorists E15 and the potential fuel-cost and environmental benefits associated with higher ethanol blends.
The association also credited Senators Bob Archuleta and Suzette Martinez Valladares, Assemblymember David Alvarez and members of the bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus for their role in advancing the legislation.
With SB 795 now signed into law, California has removed a key regulatory obstacle to the rollout of E15, paving the way for retailers to use compatible existing infrastructure to supply the ethanol blend.
