Overview

• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 30 on Oct. 2, allowing 15% ethanol gasoline to be sold in California while CARB completes its environmental review.
• A UC Berkeley–U.S. Naval Academy analysis estimates E15 could cut pump prices by up to 20 cents per gallon, saving Californians as much as $2.7 billion annually.
• UC Riverside research indicates higher ethanol blending would not raise NOx and could reduce particulate emissions.
• Rolling out E15 statewide will require infrastructure modifications at retail stations and additional implementation work by state agencies.
• E15 is already available at more than 3,000 stations in 31 states, and California’s move complements recent measures on market transparency, minimum inventories, and a pathway to boost oil supply in Kern County.