After rereading Hank's post and comparing it to the web article I posted a couple of spots back, I even more doubt this is the case. The mandate is a 'total ethanol quantity' that 'must' be used each year. It sounds like it is getting harder and harder to use this much product (ethanol), so refiners are mixing more and more into the fuel supply. So they are up against the wall to start blending even more than 10% stated on the pumps. The only way they would provide less ethanol in the blend would be if they already used their quota. (which sounds like almost impossible). Although I guess they could thumb their nose at the EPA and dump the 'xtra' ethanol out the back of the refinery lawn, but somehow I doubt that too.

What isn't clear to me is how each refiner across the Country tracks what has been used and who's using more or less compared to each other. I would think much more fuel is sold on the east and west coast compared to the Midwest? Although most of the refineries are near the gulf coast?

It's all a shell game to me, with Big Brother somehow looking over their shoulder. I do know each year there is a bigger and bigger demand for pure gasoline in the Midwest. (funny as that's where most of the ethanol is coming from)