Oregon Public Broadcasting

Next year, the Oregon legislature may reconsider its one-year-old law requiring gas stations to sell fuel with 10 percent ethanol.

Lawmakers worry that you can't drive as far on a gallon of biofuel. But Governor Ted Kuolongoski says he does not support any repeal. Ethan Lindsey reports.

House Republicans announced they want to repeal the biofuel mandate in next year's legislative session.

That follows a hearing last month where members of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee expressed concerns.

House Minority Leader Bruce Hanna is from Roseburg.

Bruce Hanna: “People were calling and saying, 'hey my car gets worse mileage than it ever did.' And then as the cost of fuel escalated, it was even worse on them. I think it's good for Oregonians to learn that legislators sometimes pass legislation that has unintended consequence."

Democrat Vicki Walker from Eugene has said the vote was also a mistake because the ethanol-blended gasoline comes partly from corn - so that can drive up the price of food.

In response, the Governor called the ethanol law “good public policy” and says the repeal “is a false promise that may play well politically” but is not thoughtful policy.