As a result of the RFS, ethanol is now blended into 97 percent of the gasoline supply and virtually all regular gasoline sold in Indiana has a 10 percent ethanol blend.  Indiana-made, high-octane ethanol is dropped into gasoline as a method to boost octane so that the petroleum does not damage engines or affect vehicle performance.  In fact, because ethanol is environmentally-friendly and biodegradable, it has replaced dangerous and carcinogenic fuel additives like lead and MTBE, which have been outlawed in the United States.

The fact is that ethanol remains the cleanest and lowest-cost octane available on the market today. According to one analysis, consumers are saving between 50 cents and $1.50 per gallon as a result of increased ethanol production and the Renewable Fuels Standard.

Moreover, higher blends of ethanol have increased octane — which helps your car burn cleaner and cooler, better for your engine’s performance and the environment.  E15, a 15-percent blend of ethanol, is approved for all vehicles 2001 and newer — nearly 9 out of 10 cars on the road today. NASCAR mechanics trust E15 for their vehicles on and off the track, hitting 10 million miles using the biofuel this year.  And teams racing in the IndyCar series already use 100 percent ethanol fuel.

My own personal experience driving across the country multiple times and using both ethanol and non-ethanol gasoline has shown that there is no loss of mileage with ethanol.  In fact my best mileage has been obtained with ethanol gasoline.  The experiments I've done were over hundreds of miles on the Interstate and filling the tank twice with each type of fuel.  I've had more loss of mileage because of dirty air cleaners or low tire pressure than any other cause except the ineptitude of states that stop and go traffic for miles in what they proclaim to be construction zones.