21 States to Receive Biofuel Infrastructure Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The number of gas stations offering intermediate blends of ethanol — namely E15 — could double nationwide following word that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide grants to 21 states to add the infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuels.

According to the USDA, grants provided via its Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) will, along with matches from private and state resources, support 4,880 pumps at more than 1,400 fueling stations across the country.

The BIP was first announced in May. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency has since received applications requesting more than $130 million, outpacing the $100 million that is available.

“The quality and geographic diversity of the applications, backed by supportive state and private partners, demonstrate the strong demand across the country for cleaner, more affordable fuel," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership is one approach USDA is using to aggressively pursue investments in American-grown renewable energy to create new markets for U.S. farmers and ranchers, help Americans save money on their energy bills, support America's clean energy economy, cut carbon pollution and reduce dependence on foreign oil and costly fossil fuels."

The states set to receive grants are Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

On the USDA’s preliminary list, Florida is scheduled to receive support for the most pumps (892), followed by Minnesota (620).

Funding amounts for each state will provided at a later date.