Why is California Gasoline Octane so low?

Question

What is the reasoning why California doesn't have higher octane fuels like 93 and 95? I seen other states have it.

Answer 1

It's largely due to crazy air-quality requirements. Additives are required to remove pollutants and additives to boost octane are prohibited. As a result, it's very tricky to formulate high-octane fuels.

Answer 2

I read somewhere during a www.google.com search that gasoline octane (resistance to knock..nothing else) is formulated for certain regions or areas due to elevation and amount of oxygen or barometric pressure available or something.  I read that mountainous regions sometimes have lower barometric pressure so the gasoline wouldn't burn as fast as a lower octane in the same combustion chamber or something.  California and it's emission standards though has something to do with it.  Higher octane gas is 'harder' to completely burn.  Sometimes this is good, but is usually bad.  Incomplete burns yield CO CO2 NOx and other VOCs that nobody really cares about which will kill us all.