<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001019687-12-000405.txt : 20120316
<SEC-HEADER>0001019687-12-000405.hdr.sgml : 20120316
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120209170014
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001019687-12-000405
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120209

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Pacific Ethanol, Inc.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000778164
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	INDUSTRIAL ORGANIC CHEMICALS [2860]
		IRS NUMBER:				412170618
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		400 CAPITOL MALL, SUITE 2060
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95814
		BUSINESS PHONE:		916-403-2123

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		400 CAPITOL MALL, SUITE 2060
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95814

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ACCESSITY CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20030627

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	DRIVERSSHIELD COM CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20001115

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FIRST PRIORITY GROUP INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
     <TITLE></TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY STYLE="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">

<P STYLE="margin: 0"></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>400 Capitol Mall, Suite 2060<BR>
Sacramento, California 95814<BR>
Telephone: (916) 403-2123</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0; text-align: center">February 9, 2012</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0"><U>Via EDGAR Correspondence</U></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0">Pamela A. Long</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">Assistant Director</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">Division of Corporation Finance<BR>
Securities and Exchange Commission<BR>
100 F Street, N.E.<BR>
Washington, D.C. 20549</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; text-align: justify">
<TD STYLE="width: 39pt; text-align: right">Re:&nbsp;</TD><TD STYLE="width: 5pt"></TD><TD STYLE="text-align: justify">Acceleration of Effective Date<BR>
Pacific Ethanol, Inc.<BR>
 Form S-1/A (Amendment No. 1),
Filed February 1, 2012 <BR>
File No. 333-178685&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0">Dear Madam:</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 9pt; text-indent: 0.5in">Pacific Ethanol, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the &ldquo;Company&rdquo;) hereby requests, pursuant to Rule 461(a) of Regulation C, that the above-referenced Registration Statement
be declared effective on February 13, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, or as soon as practicable thereafter. The Company acknowledges
that:</P>



<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; text-align: justify">
<TD STYLE="width: 39pt; text-align: right"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Symbol">&#183;&nbsp;</FONT></TD><TD STYLE="width: 5pt"></TD><TD STYLE="text-align: justify">should the Securities and Exchange Commission (&ldquo;Commission&rdquo;) or the staff,
acting pursuant to delegated authority, declare the filing effective, it does not foreclose the Commission from taking any action
with respect to the filing;&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; text-align: justify">
<TD STYLE="width: 39pt; text-align: right"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Symbol">&#183;&nbsp;</FONT></TD><TD STYLE="width: 5pt"></TD><TD STYLE="text-align: justify">the action of the Commission or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority,
in declaring the filing effective, does not relieve the Company from its full responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of
the disclosure in the filing; and&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6pt"><TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; text-align: justify">
<TD STYLE="width: 39pt; text-align: right"><FONT STYLE="font-family: Symbol">&#183;&nbsp;</FONT></TD><TD STYLE="width: 5pt"></TD><TD STYLE="text-align: justify">the Company may not assert the declaration of effectiveness as a defense in any proceeding
initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.<FONT STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</FONT>&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>
<BR>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" STYLE="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse">
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD STYLE="width: 50%; font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-left: 5.4pt">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 50%; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-left: 5.4pt">
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0">Very truly yours,</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0">PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC.</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">By:<U> /s/ CHRISTOPHER W. WRIGHT</U></P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">Christopher W. Wright</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">Vice President and General Counsel</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 12pt 0 0">&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
</TABLE>

<BR>



</BODY>
</HTML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
