BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) is taking a lead role in crafting Illinois’ application for a share of a national $100 million biofuel infrastructure partnership project to help make more renewable fuel options available to consumers.
The Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) will be administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency and is available in all 50 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Specifically, USDA will administer competitive grants to match funding for state-led efforts to market higher ethanol blends such as E15 and E85, with states able to provide a greater than 1:1 funding match receiving priority consideration.
Applications for the program are due by July 15, allowing the ICMB, together with state officials and the American Lung Assoc. (ALA), a short window of opportunity to draft a proposal, said Dave Loos, director of technology and business development for Illinois Corn.
"Illinois Corn has been involved in promoting E85 infrastructure for a long time," he said. "We have worked with the Illinois Department of Commerce on many similar grant-type programs for infrastructure in the past. We have worked with the (ALA) as a partner for many years. The ICMB has established this (program) as a priority, and is matching funds that help us work with those petroleum marketers that would like to take advantage of this opportunity."
There are approximately 250 fuel retail stations across Illinois that offer E85 to consumers, but that number could represent just a fraction of the market expansion that might occur, considering the efforts under way in Chicago and Springfield to bring the clean air benefits of higher ethanol blends to residents, said Loos.
"We’re working with the petroleum marketers to craft individual infrastructure plans that work best for them," he said. "In many cases it would mean E85 dispensers. In some cases it would involve providing E15 for the consumer. There are various configurations, but in Illinois we would like to see every petroleum marketer who participates in this program to install at least an E85 dispenser, if possible."
Rules issued by the USDA for the program state the funds, which are provided by the Commodity Credit Corp., may be used for fueling stations, convenience stores, hypermarket fueling stations or fleet facilities. Matching funds may be used for additional related BIP costs including marketing, education, data collection, program evaluation and administrative costs associated with the application process.
With time ticking toward the deadline, ICMB officials trying to determine how much money to request. "We’re working with petroleum marketers in Illinois right now to determine their level of interest for a program like this. With what is being proposed in Chicago with E15, there may be a number of marketers in that area interested in participating," Loos said.
Illinois Corn Growers Assoc. President Ken Hartman noted his group is appreciative of USDA’s efforts to support rural economies and consumer choice through the BIP. "Illinois corn farmers are committed to expanded consumer choice at the pump by expanding market access to higher blends. We look forward to matching these USDA dollars with existing and planned program funds here in Illinois," he said.
The Illinois ALA is committed to higher ethanol blends as an important part of its clean air formula, added Angela Tin, vice president of environmental health for the organization.
"More ethanol pumps mean more consumer choices and less vehicle emissions," she said.
