California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $321 billion budget on Friday that allocates dedicated resources to fund the rulemaking process needed to make E15 a legal fuel, ensuring that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has the financial support necessary to finalize regulatory work related to E15 and help expand consumer access to the fuel across the state.

California remains the only state where E15 is not yet legally available, and Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says this is a positive step toward expanding access to the lower-carbon, lower-cost fuel option. “With this funding in place, California will finally be positioned to join the rest of the country in offering drivers a cleaner, more affordable choice at the pump,” said Cooper.

At the same time, California Assembly Bill 30, known as the Ethanol Blend Implementation Act, awaits action in state senate where it will need a two-thirds majority vote to pass. AB 30 would allow gasoline blends containing up to 15% ethanol by volume to be sold in California for use as a transportation fuel, bypassing existing restrictions and taking effect immediately upon passage, as the bill is designated as an urgency statute to address high gasoline prices.

In a recent Ethanol Report podcast, Cooper talked about what passage of that legislation could mean for California drivers in low prices, for retailers already equipped to sell E15, and for the ethanol industry which stands to increase demand by as much as 700 million gallons long term.

Listen to Cooper’s comments here:
RFA CEO Geoff Cooper on California E15 potential 3:45