Ethanol stakeholders provided comments this week to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) ahead of a public hearing next week to consider proposed amendments to the state’s reformulated gasoline regulations to support the voluntary sale of gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol.

Comments from the Renewable Fuels Association urge CARB to move quickly to finalize proposed regulations allowing the sale of lower-cost E15 as Californians continue to face the highest fuel prices in the country at more than $6 per gallon.

“Expanding access to E15 will provide consumers with another gasoline option, expand the pool of available fuel supply, and utilize ethanol’s value as a low-carbon, high-octane, cost-competitive blending component,” wrote Maddie Jenks, RFA director of regulatory affairs. “A workable E15 framework can therefore provide both consumer savings and greater flexibility in California’s gasoline supply. Prompt finalization will provide suppliers, terminals, marketers, and retailers with the regulatory certainty necessary to make supply and investment decisions and will allow E15 to reach California consumers as soon as practicable.”

RFA’s comments also encouraged CARB to work closely with the state fire marshal to address the E15 compatibility of vapor recovery equipment, which is the final marketplace impediment preventing retailers from offering the fuel.

Comments from the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) stressed the option of allowing retailers to blend E15 at the pump, which could expand the availability of both E15 and E85 as well as dramatically reduce the cost of infrastructure for offering E15.

“Blending at the pump will also require being able to meter the actual gallons sold by product, to properly tax pump-blended E15 fuel made with fully taxed E10 and E85 which is taxed at a lower rate. Allocating sales properly is also necessary to avoid overstating E85 sales which could exceed current sales limits on the fuel,” said ACE chief strategy officer Ron Lamberty in written comments.

ACE also touched on the limits of E85 sales, suggesting that limits should be removed in order to allow Californians to fully benefit from the pollution reductions and cost savings that E85 provides, writing, “both of which are highly beneficial to drivers’ pocketbooks while protecting the state environment and public health.”

CARB will hold a hearing on September 24 to vote on the adoption of the E15 regulation.