As part of this testing program, more than 800 vehicles from several fleets, including Bank of America, GTE California, Pacific Bell, CalTrans, the City and County of Sacramento and California State University, Fresno, were tested on cleaner-burning gasoline. Gasoline manufacturers will be making their own decisions on their recipe for cleaner-burning gasoline. Though individual gasolines may vary, all gasoline produced for sale in California after spring of 1996 will be cleaner-burning gasoline. The State has a comprehensive compliance program to ensure all of the gasoline produced for sale in California after spring of 1996 is cleaner-burning gasoline. MTBE is an oxygenate that helps gasoline burn more completely.
Federal law requires that most gasoline in California contain oxygenates.
MTBE is the oxygenate that most gasoline manufacturers choose to use. MTBE has been used in gasoline since the mid-70s. MTBE is one of several possible oxygenates expected to be used by gasoline manufacturers to produce cleaner-burning gasoline. MTBE is expected to continue to be the most widely used oxygenate in California. However, recent health studies have found no association between MTBE and these complaints.