RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 30, 2024 – Ten fueling stations in the commonwealth are included in a new $2.6 million grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to increase the availability of domestic biofuels in six states and offer more affordable fuel options for all Americans.
Pennsylvania is the lead state for the venture, which is projected to increase the amount of biofuel sold by 31,004,967 gallons per year. Sheetz Inc. will use the funds to install 103 E15 dispensers, 74 E85 dispensers, 12 B20 dispensers, 41 E15 retrofitted dispensers, 2 ethanol storage tanks, and 1 biodiesel storage tank at 40 fueling stations in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Virginia sites are Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Lebanon, Leesburg, Manassas, Mechanicsville, Warrenton, Winchester, and Woodbridge.
“Expanding the availability of homegrown biofuels not only strengthens our energy independence but also spurs economic growth by creating new revenue for businesses operating in rural Virginia,” said Perry Hickman, USDA Rural Development Virginia State Director. “That revenue directly benefits working families who need access to good paying jobs to remain in these communities.”
The $39 million in grants U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced yesterday are funding projects in these 18 states: Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Yesterday’s announcement also includes $200 million in new Biobased Market Access and Development Grants made possible by Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds. Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $253 million nationwide through more than 300 awards to increase access to biofuels across the nation. Almost $192 million of that funding invested in 267 projects comes from President Biden’s 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. Visit the HBIIP webpage to learn more about this program offered to help combat the climate crisis, a key pillar of the Investing in America agenda. Learn more about other USDA RD programs at www.rd.usda.gov.