Lately it has been bandied about that there are 17 different kinds of gasoline mandates across the country. The latest iteration of this is in the June 27 Wall Street Journal’s “Notable and Quotable” column. Headlined “The EPA Fractures Fuel Markets” the column includes this:
The American Petroleum Institute today counts 17 different kinds of gasoline mandated across the country. This mandated fragmentation means that if a pipeline break cuts supplies in Phoenix, fuel from Tucson cannot be used to relieve the supply disruption because the two adjacent cities must use different blends under EPA rules.
Looking closely, we discover something interesting (emphasis added):
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Data from a column ten years ago is suspect. The article does a service, however, by identifying the source: the American Petroleum Institute (API). A quick search of the API website yielded the map below. It appears the number of gasoline states has been reduced to 14. The map is from 2018. It’s the most recent I could find.
(click for larger image)
If you want to know what those blend descriptions mean, you’re on your own. If you already know, please either comment here or send me an email.
