USDA announces state winners of biofuel infrastructure grants

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced 21 states have won Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) funding to update fueling station pumps for compatibility with biofuels, with a total of $100 million in grants awarded this year.

"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," Vilsack said.

The grants, which are matched by private and state sources, will cover 1,400 fueling station and 5,000 pumps across the country according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates. These pumps will distribute higher blends of ethanol, like E15 and E85.

"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," Vilsack said.