Posted July 6, 2007, at 12:52 p.m. CDT

Following the lead of its largest city, Portland, the state of Oregon will soon have a biofuels mandate in place requiring the use of ethanol and biodiesel. Gov. Ted Kolongoski signed HB 2210 into effect this week. Provisions of the bill included 10 percent ethanol and 2 percent biodiesel blends three months after production requirements are met.

The 10 percent ethanol mandate will take effect three months after in-state production reaches 40 MMgy. The biodiesel mandate goes into effect three months after regional production (Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana) reaches 15 MMgy.

Oregon currently has no in-state ethanol production, but two plants are in the construction phase—Pacific Ethanol's 35 MMgy plant in Boardman and Cascade Grain's 108 MMgy plant Clatskanie.

Biodiesel production in the state is currently in the 2 MMgy range with another 4 MMgy expected to be in production by early 2008.

Portland's biofuels mandate began July 1 and requires 10 percent ethanol blends in gasoline and 5 percent biodiesel blends.