Are there really 55 different blends of gasoline required in the US?

[Egalitariat]

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. 55 different blends forced by regulations of different municipalities?

This makes it impossible to transport gasoline from place to place, which would ensure all gasoline buyers could shop for the best price deal possible?

Are these rules set up to keep gas prices high? Shouldn't there be one standard blend for the whole US that every refinery produced, so that I can shop for the best gas prices in the whole country, instead of being forced to buy from the one refinery that makes the legal blend for my station?

This is freaking ridiculous. You'd think the Pugs, who love to scream deregulation, would cut some of these regulations that produce 55 different required blends across 1 country.

Ridiculous.

[forgethell]

I think

most of them are set up for various environmental concerns of the various localities. I'm open to correction on this one.

However, what do the national Republicans, or the Democrats for that matter, have to do with local regulations? Nothing, in so far as I can see.

[firefox]

8. MTBE was once banned in NC

MTBE was once banned in NC and then the lobbyist came saying it was "hard work" to make all the different mixtures. Now we have the hazardous waste, MTBE, in our water.

The national banks did the same thing. They said we have 50 different sets of rules and with each state having regulations, it is just too hard. So the federal government took away your right to sue a national bank in state court and the rights of states to regulate the national banks.

It is all bullshit to undermine the authority of the states. If it is too hard on the oil companies, let them pull out and let somebody else do all that "hard work" and make those mega-millions.

[firefox]

1. Let's do away with state governments

Let's have one supreme government that the fascist can control in order to control everybody. Hegemony starts at home.

[chas 2010]

2. They are local state by state environmental regulations to keep

our air clean. Every state regulates what gas can and cannot be sold in their state.

We don't want polluting gas in our California that they are allowed to sell in Iowa because Iowa won't ban it!

Its called clean air!

[flamin lib]

3. There are lots of blends for lots of reasons.

There are different blends for differing climates. What works well in AZ won't evaporate fast enough for easy starts in AL. If it starts well in AL where it's cold it will boil off in the hot summer of the South. The same is true of altitude variations.

There are some blends dictated by emissions and such but I think most are called for to meet climate and altitude needs.

They also ship different blends at different times of year as well.

[yella_dawg]

4. Should also point out that

the word "blend" is somewhat deceptive. Gasoline in Alaska is certainly a different compound than gasoline in Arizona. But some "blends" are just an additive mixed into the tanker when it's loaded. Like so many issues, this is just a ruse to confuse Joe Citizen.

[JHB]

5. AL is Alabama

I think you mean AK (Alaska), right?

[flamin lib]

6. Oops! nt

[Bridget Burke]

7. I don't know? Are there?

Where are your facts? How many blends are required by different climate conditions?

If some blends are better for the environment, why aren't they mandated for all similar climate areas? I'm quite sure the environmental regs have been targetted by the Republicans. Don't be fooled by probaganda.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. Pugs would LOVE to scrap those regulations

[Viking12]

10. Blends are based more on economics than regulation per se

While local regulations may require that fules be oxygented to reduce smog, the formula used by a refiners is not regulated. Therefore, the different blends are determined largely by economicm factors. For instance, here in the midwest, ethanol is the most common additive. However, ethanol is not practically shipped long distance -- by truck = too expensive; by pipeline = susceptible to moisture. So in the northeast, where ethanol is not readily and economically available, MTBE is the preferred additive.