Smith's bill will increase ethanol blender pumps

With renewable fuel supporters upset with the EPA's continued delay of allowing E15 at gasoline pumps and with more and more E85 vehicles on the road, Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., along with Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., introduced the Consumer Fuels Choice Act of 2010 on June 30.

According to Smith, the legislation would increase the use of clean renewable biofuels by providing grants to defray the cost of installing blender pump infrastructure.

A "blender pump" is a fuel pump capable of dispensing at least three different blends of gasoline and ethanol, as selected by the pump operator. Smith said the spread of blender pumps around the country would allow a much larger group of consumers to choose varying blends of ethanol and gasoline for their vehicles.

Nationwide, Smith said, most of the approximately 165 stations that have blender pumps are located in the Midwest. A Bosselman's Pump & Pantry station in Grand Island has a blender pump. Bossleman's stations in Chappell and Ainsworth also have blender pumps. South Dakota has 49 locations with about 95 blender pumps.

According to Smith, the Consumer Fuels Choice Act will authorize grants of 50 percent of the cost of installing blender pumps and storage tanks for the sale of ethanol fuel blends, including E85 fuel.

"The longer we continue to depend on other countries for the energy which drives our economy, the greater the likelihood of again facing sky-high prices for fuel," Smith said. "The use of alternative fuels will help diversify our nation's fuel supply in an era of global volatility and high demand for energy. I have faith the market will ultimately prevail and our legislation puts the choice in the hands of consumers."

Herseth Sandlin said it's "more important than ever that the U.S. diversify its fuel sources.

"South Dakota is already leading the way when it comes to the production and use of renewable biofuels, and producers across rural America stand ready to continue to help move our country away from a dependence on foreign oil," she said. "By providing grants for the installation of blender pumps, we can begin to cut down on the prices Americans are paying at the pump, and bring us one step closer to energy independence."

Smith said the legislation comes just days after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a 21-page report titled "A USDA Regional Roadmap to Meeting the Biofuels Goals of the Renewable Fuels Standard by 2022."

He said the report identifies the region that includes South Dakota and Nebraska as "one of two regions with the most potential for near and long term development of biofuels."

Smith said the report is part of USDA's efforts to foster a national strategy focused on various regions in the country that seeks to eliminate obstacles to the full development of biofuels markets.

"These obstacles include the lack of adequate blender pump infrastructure to dispense biofuels," he said. "As noted in the report, 'For retail sales, the installation of blender pumps will be necessary at the retail level to provide outlet of the product to the consumer.'"

Last month, the Nebraska Ethanol Board announced a new joint effort with biofuels advocacy group Growth Energy as part of the "Fuel on the Fourth" program.

According to Todd Sneller, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, the campaign will raise consumer awareness of ethanol blends such as E85, and encourage Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV) owners to buy higher ethanol blends.

"Ethanol is the clean, renewable alternative to gasoline, so it's important that drivers know their options," Sneller said. "Our Flex Fuel Vehicle awareness campaign is designed to encourage FFV owners to buy higher ethanol blends and to know where to find them."

With nearly 86,000 registered FFVs in Nebraska, FFV drivers could reduce Nebraska's gasoline usage by more than 26 million gallons per year by switching to E85, Sneller said.

More than 50 locations in Nebraska offer E85 or other ethanol blends. A list is available on the Nebraska Ethanol Board website, or drivers can find directions to each station at the Google Map maintained by the Nebraska Ethanol Board. Bosselman Energy will be installing new blender pumps at sites across Nebraska this summer.

source: theindependent