Parties involved in a proposed ordinance that would make E15 available at every gas station in the City of Chicago are still working the issue. The proposed ordinance, put forth by Alderman Ed Burke and Alderman Anthony Beale, was read into the record at the June meeting of the City Council. A new health impacts study was released this week that details the positive health benefits that E15 brings to air quality. Some of the research detailed in the study was funded by IL Corn checkoff dollars.

The study can be found in its entirety here on the IL Corn website.

Action on the ordinance is not expected before October at this point. 

As reported in the Chicago political rag, The Daily Whale:

“New study touts environmental, health benefits of E15 fuel

WED, 08/27/2014 - 7:17AM

Following a call from Alderman Ed Burke (14^th) for most city gas stations to make E15 gasoline available for consumers, a new study touted the health and environmental benefits of the fuel.

The study from Life Cycle Associates, based on the results of work conducted by independent researchers at institutions including Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Chicago, determined a switch to E15 fuel from regular gasoline would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and result in a subsequent drop in cancer risk.

E15 gas contains 15 percent ethanol, while regular gas contains just 10 percent.

“The most significant changes from a change ... to E15 include a reduction in cancer risk from vehicle exhaust and evaporative emissions, a reduction in the potential to form ozone or photochemical smog, and a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” according to the study. 

A City Council committee last month held a hearing on an ordinance sponsored by Burke that would have required most city gas stations to sell E15, but the item was deferred to allow for further consideration of the issue.”