Ethanol as Oxygenate

This page last reviewed October 30, 2013

Background

Executive Order D-5-99 issued by Governor Gray Davis on the March 2, 1999, declared that, "on balance, there is significant risk to the environment from using Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in gasoline in California." This declaration was followed by the assignment of 11 tasks to various designated state agencies responsible for carrying out the decree of the executive order. The Executive Order requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt gasoline regulations to phase out MTBE, and requires the ARB, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to conduct an ethanol fate, transport, and health risk analysis.  According to the California Energy Comission, ethanol use in the state has increased to estimated 950 millions gallons per year in 2008, with about 80% from Midwest, 12% from Brazil and 8% from in-state production.

What's New?

• California E-85 Program: An update to the specifications is tenatively scheduled to be considered by the Board at the June 24-25, 2010 meeting

Activities

• Current Activities:
  • Indirect Land Use Change of the Biofuels Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Expert Workgroup.
  • Lifecycle Analysis of Ethanol
    • Corn Ethanol
    • Brazilian Sugarcane Ethanol
    • Cellulosic Ethanol
      • Ethanol Requirements in the CaRFG Regulation
      • Ethanol Fate, Transport, and Health Risk Analysis
  • Archive activities prior 2000

Workshops / Meetings

• Current Meetings: No meeting scheduled for ethanol at this moment.
• Archive meetings prior 2000

Related Links

• California Phase 3 Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG3)
• California Low Carbon Fuel Standard
• California Energy Commission - Energy Elmanac - Ethanol Program
• U.S. EPA - Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
• U.S. EPA - E85 and Flex Fuel Vehicles

Contact Us

If you have any question regarding this information, please contact staff listed in the Contact Us list.