U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Wisconsin State Director Julie Lassa announced that USDA is awarding $3,512,180 in grants to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give Americans cleaner, more affordable fuel options at gas station pumps.
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.
In Wisconsin:
Bulk Petroleum Corporation will use a $3,456,000 grant to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels. Station locations impacted by this grant are Black River Falls, Cudahy, Green Bay (3 stations), Luxemburg, Milwaukee (2 stations), Oak Creek, Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan, Sturgeon Bay, Two Rivers, and Wisconsin Rapids (2 stations).
Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores, Inc., will use a $56,180 grant towards the total cost of eight dispensers in Tomah.
“Under the leadership of Secretary Vilsack, USDA plays a key role in supporting the President Biden’s efforts to enable energy independence with homegrown fuels,” said Lassa. “Investments announced today will help businesses upgrade their infrastructure and expand the availability of homegrown biofuels in Wisconsin.” [Audio: Mp3, 16 seconds, 400KB]
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.
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.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas.
