Biden-Harris Administration announces awards to increase access to clean, affordable domestic biofuels
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Thursday that USDA is awarding $19 million in grants to U.S. business owners to increase the availability of domestic biofuels in 22 states and give Americans cleaner, more affordable fuel options at gas station pumps as part of President Biden’s Bidenomics agenda to lower costs and invest in America.
Blending ethanol into gasoline has helped reduce fuel costs by approximately 25 percent, contributing to falling gas prices across the country. Gas prices are now under $2.99 in more than half of U.S. states and saving the average driver more than $100 per month relative to peak prices. HBIIP increases the number of Americans that benefit from falling prices by expanding the use of ethanol-based fuels at gas stations around the nation.
The Department is making the awards through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), made possible with funding from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
“President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act is giving people in rural areas the historic opportunity to expand clean energy and build an economy that benefits working families,” Vilsack said. “By increasing the supply of biofuels made here in the U.S., we are strengthening our energy independence, lowering costs for American families, creating new streams of income for agricultural producers and bringing good-paying jobs to people in rural communities.”
Secretary Vilsack made the announcement during his visit to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit in Altoona. Secretary Vilsack was awarded the Lifetime Champion of Renewable Fuels Award by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association during the Summit.
Through this most recent tranche of awards, business owners are receiving $19 million to expand access to domestic biofuels in 22 states and strengthen America’s energy independence.
The full list of states to receive funding is: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.
Local recipients include:
• Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. will receive $4,943,820. This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels. Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc is the owner of more than 10 fueling stations. This project will retrofit 704 E15 dispensers at 88 fueling stations located in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. Station locations impacted by this grant are: Arizona - Eloy, Chandler, Gila Bend, Williams, Benson, Joseph, City; Florida - Lee, Ocala, Ormond Beach; Georgia - Waco, Thomson, Brunswick, Richmond Hill, Jackson, Dublin, Tifton, Emerson, Hogansville; Iowa - Sioux City; Illinois - Williamsville, Ina, Kankakee, Dwight, Le Roy, Roscoe, Greensvile, Utica; Indiana - Mooresville, Richmond, Whiteland, Memphis,
Gary, Whitestown, Haubstadt, Demotte, Marion, Pittsboro, St. Paul; Kansas - Ottawa, Ellis; Kentucky - Waddy, Sparta, Horse Cave, Corbin, Richmond, Grayson, Calvert City; Missouri - St. Joseph, Matthews, Rolla; North Carolina -
Dunn, Marion; Nebraska - Aurora; New Mexico - Albuquerque; Nevada - Fernley, Wells, Las Vegas; Ohio - Zanesville, Hubbard, Jeffersonville, Perrysburg, Burbank, Baltimore, Dayton; South Dakota - Sioux Falls; Texas - Van, Midlothian, Hillsboro, Katy, Luling, Rockwall, Anna, Edna, Three Rivers, Texarkana, Weimar, Hutchins, Seguin, Fairfield, Von Ormy, Weatherford, Mount Vernon, Lufkin, Cleveland, Houston, Fort Worth, Rhome; and Wisconsin - Tomah. This project projects to increase the amount of ethanol sold by 86,085,412 gallons per year.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $96 million nationwide to increase access to biofuels at fueling stations. $11.6 million of this has been invested in Iowa.
Background: Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program
The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) provides grants to fueling station and distribution facility owners, including marine, rail, and home heating oil facilities, to help expand access to domestic biofuels, a clean and affordable source of energy. These investments help business owners install and upgrade infrastructure such as fuel pumps, dispensers and storage tanks. Expanding the availability of homegrown biofuels strengthens energy independence, creates new revenue for American businesses and brings good-paying jobs to rural communities.
In June 2023, USDA made $450 million available in Inflation Reduction Act funding through the HBIIP to expand the use and availability of higher-blend biofuels. That same month, USDA also announced the first round of Inflation Reduction Act-funded HBIIP awardees.
USDA continues to accept applications for funding to expand access to domestic biofuels. These grants will support the infrastructure needed to reduce out-of-pocket costs for transportation fueling and distribution facilities to install and upgrade biofuel-related infrastructure such as pumps, dispensers and storage tanks. There are three quarterly application windows left, and the program ends Sept. 30, 2024. The next application deadline is March 31, 2024.
For more information, go to the HBIIP webpage at https://www.rd.usda.gov/hbiip.