The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is releasing obligated funds under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for 543 projects totaling $537 million in 29 states, the agency announced this week.
“NACS is grateful to Secretary Rollins and the Trump Administration for their support of this important cost-sharing program,” said NACS deputy general counsel Matt Durand. “Convenience retailers are predominantly small businesses, and HBIIP funding helps them reduce a significant barrier to market entry for supplying the biofuels that their customers demand.”
Established at USDA during President Trump’s first term, HBIIP aims to expand the domestic biofuel market by assisting fueling stations with the cost of installing pumps, storage tanks, and other components that are compatible with higher-blend fuels like E15, E85 and B20, according to the agency.
The released HBIIP funds include new projects approved within the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, which USDA attributed to advancing President Trump’s January 20 Executive Order on Unleashing American Energy.
“President Trump is honoring our commitment to America’s farmers, ranchers and small businesses, especially here in Iowa where corn and soy growers are crucial to supporting ethanol and biodiesel production,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins during the announcement in Atlantic, Iowa. “Through HBIIP, we will expand access to domestic, homegrown fuels which will increase good paying jobs for hardworking Americans, restore rural prosperity and strengthen our nation’s energy security,” she added.
The announcement further noted that USDA is “aggressively exploring” additional ways to unleash American energy and incentivize the production and use of homegrown U.S. biofuels, including two other NACS priority issues: working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) that support the biofuel industry, as well as supporting EPA’s review of any potential emergency fuel waivers to allow the nationwide year-round sale of E15.
NACS also supports the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to permanently allow for the year-round sale of E15 nationwide, without the need for emergency waivers from EPA, by extending the statutory Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to ethanol blends up to 15%.