Missouri Drops Ethanol Blends Causing Gas Prices To Plummet

November 27, 2008 7:36 a.m. EST

Kansas City, MO (AHN) - Missouri fill-up stations have begun to sell gasoline that does not contain ethanol, causing the state to have the lowest prices in the country.

Retail gas stations in Kansas City, Missouri were reported as low as $1.33 a gallon, according to kcgasprices.com. The national average for the price of gasoline is $1.89, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Ethanol is mandated to be blended in gasoline in many states as a way to make it burn cleaner. Refiners nationwide are required to blend up to 9 billion gallons of the corn-based additive in gasoline this year.

Under Missouri law, if wholesale ethanol blends are more expensive than conventional gasoline, retailers can opt out of the state's renewable fuels mandate.