To define E85 motor fuel. The bill defines E85 as, “an alternative fuel that is a blend of denatured ethanol and hydrocarbon that typically contains eighty-five percent ethanol by volume, but at a minimum must contain seventy percent ethanol by volume, and complies with ASTM specification D5798-99.” The bill would replace references to “alcohol fuel” with “E85 motor fuel”.   Official Text and Analysis.

To replace the term E85 motor fuel for each reference to alcohol fuel blends in the RCW.

To amend the Motor Fuel Quality Act to include a definition for alcohol fuel, alternative fuel, E85 motor fuel, and nonhazardous motor fuel. The term "alcohol fuel" is added and defined as any alcohol made from a product other than petroleum or natural gas that is used alone or in combination with gasoline or other petroleum products for use as a fuel in a self-propelled motor vehicle. The term "alternative fuel" is added and defined as all products or energy sources used to propel motor vehicles, other than conventional gasoline, diesel, or reformulated gasoline. Alternative fuel includes, but is not limited to, the following: liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, biodiesel fuel, E85 motor fuel, fuels containing 70 percent or more by volume of alcohol fuel, fuels that are derived from biomass, hydrogen fuel, anhydrous ammonia fuel, nonhazardous motor fuel, and electricity. Onboard electric generation is excluded. The term "E85 motor fuel" is added and defined as an alternative fuel that is a blend of denatured ethanol and hydrocarbon of which the ethanol portion is nominally 75 percent to 85 percent denatured fuel ethanol by volume that complies with the American Society of Testing and Materials specification D5798. The new definition for E85 changes the definition in the existing bill to conform with the nationally recognized definition. The term "nonhazardous motor fuel" is added and defined as any fuel of a type distributed for use in a self-propelled motor vehicle that does not contain a hazardous liquid as defined in RCW 19.122.020. The business and occupation (B&O) tax deduction for sale of alternative fuel and the retail sales and use tax exemption for distribution of biodiesel or alcohol fuels are extended from 2009 to 2015.