RFA Salutes Unanimous Passage of California E15 Clean-Up Legislation

September 01, 2026

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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association welcomed the passage late Monday night of Calif. SB 795, the E15 Clean-Up Act, which removes the final impediments that are preventing Californians from accessing the lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 fuel blend at the pump. The bill passed unanimously out of both the Assembly (56–0) and the Senate (34–0).

“The passage of this bill means Californians will finally be able to enjoy savings at the pump with a lower-cost fuel blend that’s also better for the environment,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We thank principal authors Sens. Bob Archuletta and Suzette Martinez Valladares, and Assemblymember David Alvarez, as well as the entire bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus for their leadership and commitment to reducing gas prices for California families. We are also grateful to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his ongoing strong support of E15.”

The bill, prepared in the wake of last year’s unanimously supported legislation permitting E15 sales, allows retailers to use existing vapor recovery equipment to dispense E15 if the manufacturer of that equipment submits a statement of compatibility to the relevant state agencies.

The California Environmental Policy Council voted unanimously on Aug. 18 to approve the E15 multimedia analysis—the final step in the regulatory process to formally approve E15. CARB is expected to approve its E15 regulation at its Sept. 24 meeting.

A 2024 study by economists at UC Berkeley and the U.S. Naval Academy found that E15 could save California drivers up to $2.7 billion at the pump annually, and a new report from the U.S. Department of Energy shows drivers with access to E15 in other parts of the country are recently saving $0.47 per gallon on average.

The Renewable Fuels Association continues its work in educating California fuel retailers and others about implementing E15 sales, with a set of workshops coming to San Diego Sept. 9 in conjunction with the CFCA Summit. READ MORE

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Excerpt from Aemetis: “As a leading California ethanol producer for the past 15 years, Aemetis has long advocated for the state to allow E15 in order to lower the cost of gasoline and provide a choice for consumers,” said Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “This regulatory fix is a major step in opening California’s market to more American-made ethanol.”

The use of E15 instead of E10 in California would add more than 600 million gallons of annual demand for ethanol, which is about 10 times the capacity of the Aemetis 65 million gallon per year ethanol plant in Keyes, California. In addition to ethanol, the Aemetis plant produces more than two million pounds per day of distillers grain that is supplied to about 80 dairies in the Central Valley to feed more than 100,000 dairy cows with high-value animal feed. The Aemetis plant is also the largest California producer of renewable CO2, which is captured and used in beverages and food processing.

“We are grateful for Governor Newsom and the State Legislature’s support of E15 as a choice to lower fuel costs for consumers and reduce pollution from on-road transportation,” added McAfee. “We look forward to continuing to work with California legislators and regulatory agencies to advance clean fuels in California, while driving down costs of food production in the state.”

SB 795 now awaits Governor Newsom’s signature.

About Aemetis

Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Aemetis is a diversified renewable natural gas and biofuels company focused on the development and operation of innovative technologies that lower energy costs and reduce emissions. Founded in 2006, Aemetis is operating and expanding a California biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste gas into Renewable Natural Gas. Aemetis owns and operates a 65 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed. Aemetis owns and operates an 80 million gallon per year production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality biodiesel and refined glycerin. To utilize the byproducts from ethanol production, Aemetis is developing a sustainable aviation fuel plant and a CO2 sequestration project in California. For additional information about Aemetis, please visit www.aemetis.com. READ MORE

Excerpt from Ethanol Producer Magazine: Efforts to allow E15 sales in California have been ongoing for nearly a decade. The process to approve new fuel blends within the state 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 was made in the following years.

The multimedia evaluation process, however, may finally be coming to an end. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the California Environmental Policy Council voted unanimously on Aug. 18 to approve the E15 multimedia analysis—the final step in the regulatory process to formally approve E15. CARB is expected to approve its E15 regulation at its Sept. 24 meeting.

While the regulatory process was stalled, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers continued to work via legislative means to open the state to E15 sales. California in October 2025 formally became the final U.S. state to allow sales of E15 when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 30. That legislation allowed 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. Despite passage of that bill, regulatory barriers have continued to stall E15 availability in California.

The E15 Clean-Up Act aims to overcome those regulatory barriers, providing a near-term path to California E15 sales. The bill will now be sent to Newsom for his signature. He is widely expected to sign the bill.

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“This is a great day for drivers in the Golden State. Lawmakers have opened the door for them to access E15, which sells for less and burns cleaner than other fuel options,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “Last year, California lawmakers took action against high prices at the pump by unanimously approving AB 30, legalizing E15 in California. Since then, the state has worked through regulatory questions that have been addressed by SB 795. We look forward to working with state regulators and our retail partners to save drivers money by getting E15 into their fuel tanks as quickly as possible.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Energy.AgWired.com: The Renewable Fuels Association is ready to work on educating California fuel retailers again, now that the E15 Clean-Up Act has been passed by the state legislature, paving the way to finally allow sales of the lower-cost, lower-carbon transportation fuel.

RFA’s Robert White says the bill, which allows retailers to use existing vapor recovery equipment to dispense E15 if the manufacturer of that equipment submits a statement of compatibility to the relevant state agencies, passed unanimously out of both the Assembly (56–0) and the Senate (34–0). “It was just exciting news that for a second time in 14 months, an E15 bill in California had no negative votes, unanimous two times in a row,” White said during an interview at Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa this week. It was this same time last year that the state legislature passed a bill to legalize sales of E15 immediately upon the governor’s signature, which has been held up by the equipment issue.

White says the fix will not go into effect until January 1, but that is just around the corner. “So on the heels of that next week is the CFCA summit where we’re putting on an E15 workshop,” said White. “So we’ll be gearing folks up for the coming year, teaching them again about the economics and why in a state that’s so short of liquid fuel, so high of fuel prices, how E15 can help immediately.”

Learn more in this interview.

Robert White, RFA Senior VP, Industry Relations & Market Development, comments on California E15
Play FPS26 Robert White, RFA 6:58 READ MORE; includes AUDIO

Excerpt from Renewable Fuels Association: After an E15 implementation bill passed unanimously out of the California State Legislature last week, the Renewable Fuels Association turns its attention this week to the annual conference of the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance, the statewide trade association that represents independent wholesale and retail marketers of gasoline. RFA plans a front-and-center trade show exhibit and a set of retailer E15 workshops at the event, which is drawing more than 1,500 attendees to San Diego.

“Fuel retailers have been expressing interest in the lower-cost E15 fuel blend and look forward to finally being able to offer it to their customers,” said Robert White, RFA Senior Vice President for Industry Relations and Market Development. “As the final roadblocks are removed, we’re working had to ensure E15 gets to the stations—and drivers’ gas tanks—as soon as possible. Working with CFCA has really helped us make the connections to move the fuel forward.”

Calif E15 Logo RFA kicked off its E15 for California education campaign at last year’s CFCA Summit, just as lawmakers—again unanimously—passed a bill to allow E15 to be sold in the state. California has the highest gas prices in the nation and became the final state to allow the blend to be sold when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the earlier bill. RFA worked with his office on this clean-up legislation and expects him to sign it quickly.

“We have now seen two E15 bills move out of the statehouse in Sacramento with votes that were not only bipartisan, but unanimous—something Washington should pay heed to when it comes to ensuring E15 is available to everyone year-round,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We’re grateful to all in Sacramento who made this happen, and to the great team we have in place, leading this effort on the front lines.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Renewable Fuels Association: The Renewable Fuels Association today applauded California Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing Senate Bill 795, the “E15 Clean-up Act,” into law following the legislature’s unanimous passage of the bill on August 31. The bill removes the final regulatory impediment that was preventing California retailers from offering lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 to eager customers, who are facing the highest gas prices in the nation.

“Governor Newsom promised to remove the red tape that was blocking lower-cost E15 from reaching California consumers, and that’s exactly what this bill does,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Thanks to the governor’s leadership and decisive action, California is closer than ever to lower gas prices and a cleaner future for families across the state. Dozens of 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.”

The bill, prepared in the wake of last year’s unanimously supported legislation permitting E15 sales, allows retailers to use existing vapor recovery equipment to dispense E15 if the manufacturer of that equipment submits a statement of compatibility to the relevant state agencies.

Cooper also thanked the bill’s principal authors, Sens. Bob Archuletta and Suzette Martinez Valladares, and Assemblymember David Alvarez, as well as the entire bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus for their leadership and commitment to reducing gas prices for California families.

Recent studies show E15 could save California drivers at least $2.7 billion annually, or $200 per household, and significantly cut the emissions of tailpipe pollutants that create smog and contribute to illness and disease. READ MORE

Excerpt from Benzinga: In a post on X on Sunday, Newsom criticized President Donald Trump. “With Trump’s disastrous Iran war sending gas prices skyrocketing, California is acting to help provide more affordable fueling options,” Newsom said, adding that his administration had signed legislation that will help residents access a gasoline blend with 15% Ethanol and 85% gasoline.

The California Governor touted E15 as “a lower-cost fuel option that maintains our environmental and safety standards.” Newsom had legalized the blend in the state late last year, but the rollout faced delays, according to a statement released by Newsom’s office on Sunday.

The move will cut “unnecessary red tape that has kept a lower-cost fuel option out of reach for California drivers,” the Governor’s office said in the statement.

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Newsom had slammed Trump, as well as Energy Secretary Chris Wright, saying that the administration knew of the impact the Strait of Hormuz’s closure would have on fuel costs, but did nothing to shield Americans from its impact. READ MORE