Study of Alternatives to Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether,
An Oxygenate in California Reformulated Gasoline

On March 25, 1999, Governor Gray Davis released Executive Order D-5-99 that ordered the removal of the additive MTBE (Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether) from California gasoline at the earliest possible date, but no later than December 31, 2002.

On March 15, 2002, the Governor issued a new Executive Order and announced a one-year extension to the phase out of MTBE. "Under the newly announced timeline, the MTBE phaseout will be accomplished no later than December 31, 2003. Individual refineries have may continue to make the transition to ethanol earlier than December 2003 if they determine it is feasible and will not risk supply shortages or price spikes."

In the original 1999 Executive Order, the Governor directed the California Energy Commission to evaluate and report to the Governor and the Secretary for Environmental Protection on the potential for development of a California waste-based or other biomass ethanol industry. The Commission was directed to "...evaluate what steps, if any, would be appropriate to foster waste-based or other biomass ethanol development in California should ethanol be found to be an acceptable substitute for MTBE."

For more information regarding the Energy Commission MTBE Study, please contact: