Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed HB 3497 to amend Oregon’s ethanol mandate by allowing service stations to sell premium, higher-octane gasoline without ethanol. House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna and Rep. Tim Freeman introduced introduced the bill.

“HB 3497 will give service stations the choice of selling unblended premium fuel,” Rep. Freeman said. “The bill addresses the concerns we’ve heard from many Oregonians who have experienced problems with the state’s ethanol mandate. HB 3497 doesn’t repeal the mandate, but better enables loggers, snowmobilers, fisherman and others to purchase the fuel they need to operate their equipment safely and effectively.”

Under previous law, retailers are required to sell gasoline that contains at least 10 percent ethanol. Though a 2008 law permitted the sale of unblended fuel for certain non-road uses, unblended fuel has been difficult to access because of distribution and storage issues.

“This bill will allow more retailers to sell unblended fuel to owners of the vehicles and tools who are exempted from the ethanol requirement,” Rep. Hanna said. “While improving access to unblended fuel, this new law will give the state’s renewable fuel standard an opportunity to work as it was originally intended.”

House Bill 3497 exempts premium gasoline, which has an octane rating of 91 or above, from the 10 percent ethanol blending requirement imposed under ORS 646.913. The new law will apply to gasoline sales that occur on or after January 1, 2010.