USDA Announces $210 Million to be Invested in Renewable Energy Infrastructure

USDA announced Wednesday the federal agency will partner with 21 states through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership to increase access to biofuels. The funding announced back in May Just after the Environmental Protection Agency announced a reduced Renewable Fuels Standard, increase the number of pumps that offer higher blends of ethanol, such as E15 and E85. USDA expects the funding to expand infrastructure by nearly 5,000 pumps at over 1,400 fueling stations. USDA initially announced $100 million worth of funding would be available for states and private partnerships to match by a one to one ratio. USDA received applications requesting over $130 million, outpacing the $100 million that is available. With the matching commitments by state and private entities, the BIP is investing a total of $210 million.  USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said “consumers will begin to see more of these pumps in a matter of months.”

The 21 states participating in the BIP include 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.

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