Starting on Tuesday of this week, E10(10 % Ethanol) fuel will be mandated in all gasoline sold in nine Northwest counties in Oregon.
The nine will be followed over the course of the year by two sets of other counties that will eventually see by September 16th the entire state of Oregon selling motor vehicles only gas that is cut with 10% ethanol. The blend requirement is apart of an amendement to Oregon's renewable fuel legislative bill that is following in the footsteps of the city of Portland which in 2007 became the first major U.S. city to mandate the 10% ethanol blend within its city limits.

A 10% ethanol blend can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 18-29% compared with conventional gasoline and in 2006 reduced CO2 greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 8 billion tons Argonne National Laboratory. The ethanol blend is expected to reduce smog pollution and has been certified by the EPA to reduce carbon monoxide emissions up to 30 percent.

In addition, two ethanol producing plants are currently being built in the state which will help create jobs and hopefully allow the state's ethanol supply to eventually come completely from local source. Oregon will become the 4th state behind Hawaii, Minnesota and Missouri to mandate the E10 blend in all gasoline sold.

While biofuels provide enviromental benefits, it is largely linked to feedstock production and fuel processing and therefore are only as sustainable as these industries. As reported in The Econmist, a major switch to biofuels could also increase food prices and have a major, possibly negative impact on world markets.
The switch to biofuels has even lead a U.N. expert to define biofuel a "crime against humanity"-stating that biofuels are leading to a worldwide food shortage due to increased food costs.