DES MOINES ? Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that approximately $350,000 in uncommitted funds are now available through the ?Fueling Our Future 100? initiative. Interested retailers in Iowa can apply for cost share funding to assist with the purchase and installation of blender pumps and underground storage tank (UST) infrastructure for higher blends of ethanol.
Applications must be received at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship?s office by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 14, 2016. Pumps and tanks funded through this round of funding for the program are required to be operational by the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30, 2017.
?Iowa retailers have shown a willingness to invest in infrastructure to deliver renewable fuels and customers have shown they are interested in choosing to increase the amount of clean burning, homegrown renewable fuels they use. Through this program we have supported the installation of more than 200 blender pumps and 16 underground storage tanks and now have some additional funds to add even more,? Northey said.
Iowa received a $5 million competitive grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) program to support the initiative. These funds must be matched by non-federal funds, including $2.5 million from the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP). The fueling sites applying for assistance will also be required to provide a minimum of $2.5 million.
Pumps and tanks funded through this program are required to be in operations for the intended purpose of dispensing higher blends of ethanol for at least 5-years from the date they enter service.
More information about the program, a copy of the application and other materials can be found on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship?s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov under ?Hot Topics.?
This program is a partnership across state government, including collaboration between the Governor?s office, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Iowa Economic Development Authority.
