New program promotes biofuel infrastructure

Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) has announced the Biofuel Infrastructure Incentive Program, also known as BIIP, to promote the distribution and use of biofuels in Missouri.

Funds will be awarded through the program to fuel retailers, distributors, terminal companies and fleet operators that disperse or have plans to store or disperse ethanol fuel blends of E15 or higher or biodiesel blends of B6 or higher.

Applications for the program are due by Oct. 29. Projects chosen for funding will be notified no later than Nov. 30, according to a MASBDA news release issued last week.

Up to $2 million will be awarded in grants through the program, with half appropriated to biodiesel projects and half to ethanol projects. Applicants must be a business that is constructing new equipment or is retrofitting existing equipment to handle biodiesel fuel, biodiesel blend fuel or ethanol blended gasoline in Missouri. Projects may include multiple locations in the state with the maximum award in each category (ethanol or biodiesel) to any single entity capped at 50% of eligible costs or $250,000, whichever is less.

Funds may be used for, but are not limited to, costs associated with the construction, installation, upgrade or retrofit of:

• Fuel pumps and related equipment.
• Fuel storage tanks.
• Tank system components.
• Other infrastructure in Missouri designed to ensure the environmentally-safe availability of ethanol blends or biodiesel fuel.

More information about BIIP or the MASBDA is available at www.MASBDA.com.

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