By SARAH B. AUBREY
Indiana Correspondent ROANOKE, Ind. — Lassus Brothers Handy Dandy in Roanoke celebrated with community members and consumers on April 11 when it began selling E85 to the public.
The opening marked the 100th site in Indiana to offer the ethanol-blend fuel for retail sale. E85 was first sold at Indiana retail stations in June 2005.
“With the 100th E85 station, Hoosiers will have more access to cheaper alternatives to gasoline,” said Gov. Mitch Daniels, in a statement read by Master of Ceremonies Kellie Walsh, executive director of Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance (CICCA). “This is a great milestone for Indiana.”
Greg Lassus, one of six speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, said Lassus Brothers had been in business since 1925 and was founded by his great-grandfather. A representative of Sen. Richard Lugar’s (R-Ind.) office presented members of the Lassus family with a flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol, as a gesture to thank them for their commitment to Indiana’s biofuel industry.
“The 100th E85 station represents a milestone on the pathway to greater energy security for Indiana,” Lugar said in a statement read by Amy Frumarolo, assistant director of his Northeast office.
Indiana Corn Marketing Council President Mike Shuter, a farmer from Frankton, was on hand to represent the state’s corn growers. He thanked Lassus Brothers for joining the ranks of other retail outlets that offer E85 and praised the Indiana corn growers for their commitment to the biofuel industry.
He also expressed enthusiasm for the progress of the Interstate 65 corridor project, which is underway to make E85 available in fueling stations from Lake Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico.
Fueling up a Chevy Tahoe covered in E85 decals, Brandon Seitz, deputy press secretary for Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, quipped that Indiana had literally come from zero to 100 in the promotion of E85 pumps, and praised the partnership between the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Indiana Department of Energy and Defense and the fuel station retailers for their collaboration at accomplishing this goal quickly.
E85 is more than 50 cents a gallon cheaper than gasoline, and Seitz said it and all bioenergy options have a major impact for consumers.
“It’s not just about E85, it’s about cellulosic ethanol, municipal solid waste, natural gas fuel; anything that is cleaner is going to be better, there’s not just one answer,” he said.
This farm news was published in the April 16, 2008 issue of the Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
