Newsom signs bill allowing immediate availability of E15 in California

As published by Ethanol Producer Magazine
October 2, 2025 | By Erin Krueger

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 2 signed AB 30, a bill that will allow E15 to be sold within the state while the California Air Resources Board completes its ongoing work to study whether the fuel blend can meet the state’s clean air requirements. E15 is now approved for use in all 50 states.

AB 30 was passed unanimously by both the California Senate and California Assembly earlier this year.

According to Newsom’s office, the availability of E15 could help bring down the cost of gasoline in California. A study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley and the United States Naval Academy, showed E15 could lower gasoline prices by up to $0.20 per gallon and save Californians as much as $2.7 billion annually. A separate study at the University of California, Riverside found that increasing ethanol blending in gasoline would not affect NOx emissions and would reduce particulate emissions.

The process to approve new fuel blends in California is uniquely difficult, which has caused significant delays in approving E15 blends. Under a state law implemented in 1999, any regulatory change to California’s gasoline blend requires a multimedia evaluation and approval by the California Environmental Policy Council—an intensive process unique to California.

The multimedia evaluations are conducted by a working group and typically take 2-5 years to complete. They are performed based on a three-tier structure. The California Air Resources Board began the process of a multimedia evaluation for E15 in 2018. A Tier III report, the multimedia risk assessment final report, was circulated to relevant agencies in late 2022, but little progress has been made since then. As of late 2024, CARB estimated at least another year could be required to complete the multimedia evaluation process.

California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom took action last year to try to expedite the availability of E15. The California Assembly in October 2024 unanimously approved a bill that aimed to require CARB to complete its multimedia evaluation of E15 by July 1, 2025. The state Senate, however, failed to take action on the bill. After the E15 bill failed, Newsom directed CARB to accelerate efforts to approve E15 sales.

AB 30 was introduced in December 2024 and was amended twice. The legislation allows for the sales of fuel blends continuing 10.5% to 15% ethanol by volume in the state for use as transportation fuel until CEPC completes its review and publicly posts the findings of its multimedia review of E15 as required by existing law, and CARB either adopts a regulation establishing a specification for E15 or posts an assessment on its website demonstrating that it is not possible for a proposed regulation establishing a specification for E15.

“Thanks to our work with the legislature, we have averted billions of dollars in higher costs at the pump by avoiding the kinds of severe gasoline price spikes we saw a few years ago,” Newsom said in an Oct. 2 statement. “While we continue the critical work to stabilize our state’s fuel market, we’re cutting red tape to provide consumers with more options as we continue our transition to cleaner transportation.”

The Renewable Fuels Association is applauding Newsom for signing the bill. “Thanks to Gov. Newsom’s leadership and decisive action, California is on the road to lower gas prices and a cleaner future for families across the state,” said Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the RFA. “Many other states have already seen the benefits of E15—healthier air, better engine performance, and cost savings at the pump. Now, California drivers are about to experience those same advantages for themselves, and we thank Gov. Newsom for voicing his support for E15 throughout the legislative process. We likewise thank the bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus and the bill sponsors, Assemblymembers David Alvarez and Heath Flora, for working to open the California fuel marketplace to more affordable, cleaner options.”

Growth Energy is celebrating Newsom’s approval of AB 30. "The wait is finally over—E15 is now approved for sale in California, and the biggest winners will ultimately be the state's drivers and their families," said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. "E15 is a more affordable fuel option that the vast majority of drivers can take advantage of without having to buy a new vehicle. Its approval in California will generate more demand for American farmers, boosting the ag economy while allowing California residents to keep more of their hard-earned money."

The American Coalition for Ethanol is also applauding the new law. “California’s approval of E15 is a milestone for the U.S. fuel market,” said Ron Lamberty, chief marketing officer at ACE. “For more than a decade, drivers have safely used E15 to save at the pump while reducing emissions further than the standard 10% blend. Retailers have proven E15 works for their customers and since most of them already have E15 compatible tanks, lines and dispensers, it works for their businesses, too. California retailers can now finally offer nearly all drivers an option to help combat the state’s high fuel prices. We commend Assemblymembers David Alvarez, Heath Flora, and other state leaders and bill sponsors who helped advance AB 30 to expand the use of higher ethanol blends.”