Write or call your Congressional Delegation in Washington.
Per Dan Piller in the Des Moines Register, apparently the federal government is now going to require that all service stations use 15% ethanol/gasoline blends. To be approved this month.
They will have the option of having two sets of pumps/tanks, etc. (10% & 15%) for the cars that are not compatible with E-85. Per the article, only cars made since 2007 can operate properly on E-85. How many stations are going to do that, especially for cars that use premium fuels? None! It will cost each location at least $25,000 for new tanks and dispensers. There is also a question regarding how it will effect the delivery hoses, compressors, pumps, etc.
Biggest problem is that it is BAD for some components in some cars and lowers fuel efficiency. The long term effects of ethanol on hoses, filters, etc., particularly older ones, is a question.

 

E15 contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. This is generally the highest ratio of ethanol to gasoline that is possible to use in vehicles recommended by auto manufacturers to run on E10 in the US, though it is possible that many vehicles can handle higher mixtures without trouble.

As a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which mandates an increase in renewable fuels for the transport sector, the U.S. Department of Energy began assessments for the feasibility of using intermediate ethanol blends in the existing vehicle fleet as a way to allow higher consumption of ethanol fuel. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is conducting tests to evaluate the potential impacts of intermediate ethanol blends on legacy vehicles and other engines. In a preliminary report released in October 2008, the NREL presented the results of the first evaluations of the effects of E10, E15 and E20 gasoline blends on tailpipe and evaporative emissions, catalyst and engine durability, vehicle driveability, engine operability, and vehicle and engine materials. This preliminary report found that none of the vehicles displayed a malfunction indicator light as a result of the ethanol blend used; no fuel filter plugging symptoms were observed; no cold start problems were observed at 24°C (75°F) and 10°C (50°F) laboratory conditions; and as expected, all test vehicles exhibited a loss in fuel economy proportional with the lower energy density of ethanol, for example, with E20, the average reduction in fuel economy was 7.7% when compared to the miles per gallon achieved by the gasoline only (E0) test vehicles.

In March 2009 a lobbying group from the ethanol industry, Growth Energy, formally requested the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) to allow the ethanol content in gasoline to be increased to 15 percent, from 10 percent. By June 2010 the E.P.A. has missed twice the self-impose deadlines to rule on this issue, arguing that all the necessary tests are not finished. Organizations doing such studies include the Energy Department, the State of Minnesota, the Renewable Fuels Association, the Rochester Institute of Technology, the Minnesota Center for Automotive Research and Stockholm University in Sweden.

 

what's ethanol % in CA fuels?

I know CA is always ahead of the curve on this one. But that's interesting how they want to do this nationally. I think in effect, basically it'll just make all the other states on par with CA. :-(

One of the guys at work runs off of E85. But it's a pain to find and get. But it's amazing, he had it tuned specifically for E85, he's got a FI setup. But because it burns so much cooler, he's able to effectively increase his hp by almost 50%! I was shocked. But i agree, it's less fuel efficient and hard to work around when most of the cars on the road aren't ready for it.

Fortunately, i have drums of 100 octane in my garage.