Because the government has distorted the market to favor the ethanol industry, I’m not surprised that gas purists like Eric Foster have difficulty buying anything else. The Renewable Fuel Standard exists at the federal level, and there are many incentives that exist at the state level too. According to the article in the Kansas City Star, the Missouri state government mandates that retailers sell regular and mid-grade ethanol blends when they are cheaper than pure gas, and also provides a tax credit to distributors who buy clear gas and blend in the ethanol themselves. That’s pretty pervasive.