Texas Ethanol

[Jonny Z]

I have mutiple friends swear that they get lower gas milage from HEB and Wal Mart gases, as opposed to name brands like Chevron.

I know they use different additives, but I would not think it would make mileage so different from tank to tank. The only thing I can think of, is that some of these discount stations, might use 10% ethanol. I, however, have not seen any label on the pumps, stating so.

Does anyone know if Texas law, requires the station to tell consumer ethanol content in their gas?

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
I have mutiple friends swear that they get lower gas milage from HEB and Wal Mart gases, as opposed to name brands like Chevron.

I know they use different additives, but I would not think it would make mileage so different from tank to tank. The only thing I can think of, is that some of these discount stations, might use 10% ethanol. I, however, have not seen any label on the pumps, stating so.

Does anyone know if Texas law, requires the station to tell consumer ethanol content in their gas?


http://www.exxon.com/USA-English/GFM/Files/US_Gasoline_Map.pdf

 

[Jonny Z]

Thanks for the map.

I know I am in a non-ethanol county. However, does the law prohibit a station in a non-ethanol county to use E10, or at least, require disclosure to the consumer at the pump, if E10 is used?

E10 is cheaper than 100% gas.

 

[jmac]

Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
Thanks for the map.

I know I am in a non-ethanol county. However, does the law prohibit a station in a non-ethanol county to use E10, or at least, require disclosure to the consumer at the pump, if E10 is used?

E10 is cheaper than 100% gas.


From all the reading at the tceq website the answers to the above are no, and no.
http://www.tceq.state.tx.us
Before the switchover of the 6 county area in N. Texas to all ethanol based oxygenate gas (6 county as it inlcudes the 4 DFW counties and the 2 counties north to the OK border) , there was a definate difference in Racetrack gas and grocery store gas vs. other filling station gas as the former would definitely decrease the fuel economy, it was widely believed to be due to use of ethanol in their cheaper gas rather than MTBE everyone else was using. No labels on those pumps. I have not been able to find any requirements on labeling for commercial gas pump pertaining to ethanol on the above mentioned site, the regulatory body for the state.

 

[jmac]

Originally Posted By: jmac
Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
Thanks for the map.

I know I am in a non-ethanol county. However, does the law prohibit a station in a non-ethanol county to use E10, or at least, require disclosure to the consumer at the pump, if E10 is used?

E10 is cheaper than 100% gas.


From all the reading at the tceq website the answers to the above are no, and no.
http://www.tceq.state.tx.us
Before the switchover of the 6 county area in N. Texas to all ethanol based oxygenate gas (6 county as it inlcudes the 4 DFW counties and the 2 counties north to the OK border) , there was a definate difference in Racetrack gas and grocery store gas vs. other filling station gas as the former would definitely decrease the fuel economy, it was widely believed to be due to use of ethanol in their cheaper gas rather than MTBE everyone else was using. No labels on those pumps. I have not been able to find any requirements on labeling for commercial gas pump pertaining to ethanol on the above mentioned site, the regulatory body for the state.


Let me correct this, in that I have misspoken. Further research through the Texas weights and measures under teh Dept. of Agriculture led me to Texas tax code 153.001 and finally to Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes. Under Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes Title 132, chapter 4, section 3 is the following:


Posting notice of sale of alcohol and motor fuel mixture
Sec. 3. (a) A motor fuel dealer in this state may not sell or offer for sale any motor fuel from a motor fuel pump that is supplied by a storage tank into which motor fuel containing ethanol in a mixture in which one percent or more of the mixture measured by volume is ethanol or into which motor fuel containing methanol in a mixture in which one percent or more of the mixture measured by volume is methanol has been delivered within the 60-day period preceding the day of sale or offer of sale, unless the dealer prominently displays on the pump from which the mixture is sold a sign that complies with the requirements of Subsection (b) of this section.
(b)(1) The sign required under Subsection (a) of this section must be displayed on each face of the motor fuel pump on which the price of the motor fuel mixture sold from the pump is displayed. The sign must state "Contains Ethanol" or "Contains Methanol," as applicable. The sign must appear in contrasting colors with block letters at least one-half inch in height and one-fourth inch in width and shall be displayed in a clear, conspicuous, and prominent manner, visible to customers using either side of the pump.
(2) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (b)(1) of this section, if a motor fuel pump is supplied by a storage tank into which motor fuel containing 10 percent or more ethanol by volume or five percent or more methanol by volume has been delivered within the 60-day period preceding the day of the sale or offer of sale, the sign shall state the percentage of ethanol or methanol by volume, to the nearest whole percent, of the motor fuel having the highest percentage of ethanol or methanol delivered into that storage tank within the 60-day period. This subsection does not prohibit the posting of other alcohol or additive information, the information and posting being subject to regulations by the commissioner of agriculture.
Sale of Motor Fuel with Automotive Fuel Rating Lower than Rating Posted on Pump Label
Sec. 3A. A motor fuel dealer in this state may not sell or offer for sale motor fuel from a motor fuel pump if the motor fuel contains an automotive fuel rating that is lower than the automotive fuel rating for that motor fuel posted on the motor fuel pump.
Delivery of Motor Fuel with Automotive Fuel Rating Lower than Rating Certified by Transfer
Sec. 3B. A distributor or supplier of motor fuel, as those persons are defined by Section 153.001, Tax Code, may not deliver or transfer motor fuel to a motor fuel dealer in this state if the fuel contains an automotive fuel rating that is lower than the certification of the automotive fuel rating the distributor or supplier is required to make to the motor fuel dealer under federal law.
http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=4&pt=1&ch=5&rl=Y
http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes

 

[Jonny Z]

So what you are saying is, the law exists; but it may not be enforced. Hmmm

 

[jmac]

Actually, your question got me wondering also so I dug and found that there are actual labeling requirements. Knowing the state I would bet that it is enforced to the states abilities and I would think that it should be quite easy to report any stations that you suspect are not in compliance. Enforcement may be slower sometimes than consumers would like, but the state seems to take enforcement of the regulations concerning fuel very seriously.
Also I do not know the last time that code was revised so not sure how long the labeling requirements have been in place. From the specificity of the code regarding ethanol it may have been revised in just the past 5 years or so.