Champaign County Farm Bureau

Local Gas Stations Help Customers See Green With E85 Gasoline

Local Gas Stations Help Customers See Green with E-85 Blended Gasoline

As summer vacation season begins and you visit exotic locations with family and friends it is no doubt that high gas prices have made a difference in your travel plans. With high early summer prices, many families are restructuring their travel plans or even their everyday lifestyles to accommodate the high prices seen at the pump. Other families like the Cruse family of Mahomet have bought into a new idea; E-85 blended gasoline.

Roger and Robin Cruse purchased their flexible-fuel compatible car so they might do their part in supporting Illinois corn growers. It wasn’t until later that they discovered their purchase would not only benefit area corn growers, but also benefit their own pocketbook as well.

One afternoon as Robin Cruse pulled her car up to the E-85 blended gasoline pump at the Mahomet BP station, she was surprised to have store staff meet her at the pump. BP staff informed Cruse of an added bonus of using this locally grown energy source; the Illinois Alternative Fuels Rebate Program.

The program, which began in 1998, offers three types of rebates to all eligible Illinois residents and businesses registering up to 300 vehicles. Rebates cover the incremental cost of purchasing a flexible fuel vehicle from an Illinois vendor, incremental costs of converting a car to use flexible fuels, and a fuel rebate to those who purchase E-85 or Biodiesel fuels from an Illinois vendor. Eligible fuels include E-85, Biodiesel (at least a 20 percent blend or B-20), natural gas, propane, electricity and hydrogen. To be eligible your car must be a licensed, on-road vehicle and be able to be legally driving on Illinois public roads.

In 2006, the Cruse’s filled their car with nearly 585 gallons of E-85 blended gasoline. After submitting receipts and other documentation to the IEPA, the family received $340.00 in refunds based on the number of miles their car was driven throughout the calendar year.

While E-85 pumps are not yet seen at every gas station, their popularity has proved to be anything but a fad. With support of the Illinois Department of Transportation, E-85 gas stations are noted with a special indicator along major Illinois highways. These markers, accompanied by advertisements at rest facilities help travelers to know just where they can locate E-85 along Illinois Highways.

Much of the gasoline the Cruse’s fuel their car with is purchased at the Mahomet BP station; however they would welcome more E-85 pumps to the area.

Champaign County is currently home of two gas stations that offer E-85 and more are on the way. Currently, the Mahomet BP located at 204 N. Lombard and the Urbana Marathon Mach 1 at the corner of

Philo Road

and

Florida Avenue

offer this corn based gasoline while other pumps are being installed around the county. For more information on E-85, where you can find it, a list of flexible-fuel compatible vehicles or to see how you can be a part of the Illinois Alternative Fuels Rebate Program see www.illinoisgreenfleets.org or call the IEPA at (217) 557-1441 .

Champaign County E-85 Gas Stations

Mahomet- BP,

204 N. Lombard Street

Urbana- Marathon Mach 1,

1701 Philo Road

Champaign- Super Pantry,

57 E. Green St

*Coming August 1, 2007*

Key steps to get your E-85 Fuel Rebate:

1. Use E-85 in your flexible fuel vehicle at least 50% of the time during the calendar year.

2. Save all E-85 fuel receipts.

3. Complete rebate application and W-9 form available on Illinois Green Fleets website.

4. Submit application, E-85 fuel receipts, and W-9 form by December 31, 2007.

For more information see www.illinoisgreenfleets.org