INDUSTRYNEWS
Blender pumps increase; boom prompts EPA caution two unrelated blender pumps opened The proliferation of blender in Olds and Rock Rapids, Iowa. pumps, particularly in Kansas and The recent blender pump boom, Iowa, is giving consumers more access although a positive development for to higher-level blends. However, the the ethanol industry and flexible-fuel increase has also caused some confuvehicle (FFV) owners, has caught the sion on blending practices, which was attention of the EPA. In late July, the quickly addressed by the U.S. EPA EPA issued a letter in response to quesIn Kansas, the Ethanol tions raised by Bob Greco, director of Promotion and Information Council, downstream and industry operations at the state Corn Commission and ICM the American Petroleum Institute. In Inc. announced a statewide initiative the letter, the EPA addressed selfAug. 18 to launch a blender pump prodirected blender pumps at retail outlets gram. The announcement followed an and the risks involved when using fuel ethanol promotion event in Colwich, Blender pumps such as this one have spurred comment from the U.S. EPA. blends containing more than 10 percent Kan., at TJ’s Convenience Store, which offered discounts on E10, E20, E30 and E85 ening our dependence on foreign oil,” said ethanol. “Gasoline containing more than 10 Kansas Corn Commission Chairman Bob percent ethanol may cause damage to certain blends. emissions control devices and systems, and The major initiative of the program is to Timmons. In Iowa, WestMor Industries LLC installed increase emissions from gasoline-only vehicles help fuel station retailers obtain funding and equipment needed to sell higher blends of the state’s first blender pump at Galva Holstein and engines,” the letter stated. “For this reason, ethanol. Currently, there are four blender pumps Ag LLC in Galva, Iowa, at the end of August. the Clean Air Act prohibits retail gasoline stain Kansas, courtesy of a pilot program support- Galva Holstein Ag was awarded a grant from tions from selling gasoline blended with more ed by the state Department of Agriculture. The Iowa’s Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Board in than 10 percent ethanol for use in gasoline-only various groups hope to increase the state’s June, which covered nearly half of the pump vehicles.” The EPA said steps will be taken to blender pump infrastructure by installing a min- and installation costs. Corey Poppe, a investigate retail distribution of noncompliant imum of 100 blender pumps over the next year. spokesman for WestMor Industries, said that by fuel. “Our program will help strengthen our econo- the end of the summer, the company plans to my by encouraging blender pump infrastructure install three more blender pumps in Holstein, —Anna Austin development and take us one step closer to less- Manning and Sibley, Iowa. In early September,
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