Republican lawmakers are circulating legislation that would lay out new fuel blend requirements for Wisconsin gas stations and create a related DATCP grant program, according to WisBusiness.
The bill, aiming to support state farmers and biofuels producers, would require new retail or wholesale fueling facilities built on vacant land to ensure gas storage and dispensing equipment is able to handle a gasoline–ethanol fuel blend with at least 25% ethanol by volume. Additionally, equipment for storing or dispensing petroleum-based diesel fuel would need to be able to accommodate a fuel blend with at least 20% biodiesel by volume.
DATCP would need to provide grants of up to $1,000 for each new dispenser or the cost to retrofit dispensers to meet the new requirement. Facilities would have a $15,000 cap. DATCP would also be required to provide grants to existing fuel stations for storage or dispensing of ethanol and biodiesel fuel blends that would cover up to 50% of the project cost.
Gas stations that have received federal dollars for the same purpose would be ineligible for the grant program.
The co-sponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. The memo is available online.
