USDA Rural Development Announces Awards for Domestic Biofuels in Missouri

$5 Million Will Provide Fuel Station Improvements in St. Joseph, Matthews, and Rolla

Columbia, Jan. 11, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Missouri State Director Kyle Wilkens announced today that $5 million in grants will increase the availability of domestic biofuels in Missouri and give travelers cleaner, more affordable fuel options at gas pumps.

"It is critical to have affordable and clean energy to support the economy. These grants will help people in rural areas access clean energy and benefit working families in Missouri." Wilkens said. "By increasing the supply of biofuels made here in the U.S., we are strengthening our energy independence and lowering costs for rural communities in Missouri." The Department is making the awards through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). Blending ethanol into gasoline has helped reduce fuel costs by approximately 25 percent. HBIIP expands the use of ethanol-based fuels at gas stations around the nation.

This announcement is part of a larger national announcement that includes projects in 21 other states. The details of the projects are:

A portion of a $4,943,820 grant will help create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels at three Missouri locations of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc. This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels. Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, Inc is the owner of more than 10 fueling stations. This project will retrofit 704 E15 dispensers at 88 fueling stations located in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. Station locations impacted by this grant are: AZ - Eloy, Chandler, Gila Bend, Williams, Benson, Joseph, City; FL - Lee, Ocala, Ormond Beach; GA - Waco, Thomson, Brunswick, Richmond Hill, Jackson, Dublin, Tifton, Emerson, Hogansville; IA - Sioux City; IL - Williamsville, Ina, Kankakee, Dwight, Le Roy, Roscoe, Greensvile, Utica; IN - Mooresville, Richmond, Whiteland, Memphis, Gary, Whitestown, Haubstadt, Demotte, Marion, Pittsboro, St. Paul; KS - Ottawa, Ellis; KY - Waddy, Sparta, Horse Cave, Corbin, Richmond, Grayson, Calvert City; MO - St. Joseph, Matthews, Rolla; NC - Dunn, Marion; NE - Aurora; NM - Albuquerque; NV - Fernley, Wells, Las Vegas; OH - Zanesville, Hubbard, Jeffersonville, Perrysburg, Burbank, Baltimore, Dayton; SD - Sioux Falls; TX - Van, Midlothian, Hillsboro, Katy, Luling, Rockwall, Anna, Edna, Three Rivers, Texarkana, Weimar, Hutchins, Seguin, Fairfield, Von Ormy, Weatherford, Mount Vernon, Lufkin, Cleveland, Houston, Fort Worth, Rhome; and WI - Tomah. This project projects to increase the amount of ethanol sold by 86,085,412 gallons per year.

Background: Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program

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.