Stevens Point, Wis., Oct. 29, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Wisconsin State Director Julie Lassa today announced that the Department is investing in more projects to increase access to clean, affordable domestic biofuels and provide more cost-effective options for Wisconsin consumers.
In Burnett County, $445,500 will be used by Connor’s Service Station in Webster to help increase the amount of biofuel sold by 223,907 gallons per year. Connor’s Service Station will install two E15 dispensers, two B20 dispensers, one ethanol storage tank, and one biodiesel storage tank.
“Through the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is investing in greater access for people in our state to higher-blends fuels at the pumps,” Lassa said. “With the investments announced today, the Department is expanding the availability of homegrown biofuels that will strengthen energy independence, create new revenue for Wisconsin businesses and bring more good-paying jobs to rural communities.”
The funding in Wisconsin announced today is part of $39 million in Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) grants also being announced nationally today for business owners in 18 U.S. states to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give Americans cleaner, more affordable fuel options. The Department will also make $200 million available through the new Biobased Market Access and Development Grants made possible by Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds.
The awards and funding announced today are made possible through the HBIIP and the Biobased Market Access and Development Program as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda with funding from CCC and President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The purpose of HBIIP is to assist owners of transportation fueling and fuel distribution facilities in activities designed to expand the sales and use of ethanol and biodiesel.
Since 2021, $25,088,070 in HBIIP funding has been awarded so far to business owners to help increase access to biofuels in Wisconsin. This amount is part of over $253 million awarded nationwide through more than 300 awards. Almost $192 million of that funding invested in 267 projects comes from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Biobased Market Development and Access Grant Program
USDA will use previously transferred CCC funds to create the Biobased Product Market Development and Access Grant Program to support innovative biobased technologies and bridge the gap between pilot-scale demonstrations and commercial viability. The funding will be available to applicants who have been accepted into the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (Section 9003), which is administered by Rural Development. The $200 million program is being funded through the reallocation of unobligated CCC funds from 2020.
HBIIP
In June 2023, USDA made $450 million available in Inflation Reduction Act funding through 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.
The Biden-Harris Administration championed the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis, a key pillar of the Investing in America agenda. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Administration is delivering on its promise to fight climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across America.
The Act provides funding to USDA Rural Development to help eligible organizations invest in renewable energy infrastructure and zero-emission systems and make energy-efficiency improvements that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on the Inflation Reduction Act, visit: https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act.
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. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery Subscriber Page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
