State lawmakers are almost done with this session’s work, and Wisconsin farmers don’t want any of their bills falling through the cracks. One of these is a program to expand ethanol availability at gas stations.
AB 455/SB 454, supported by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, would require that new retail or wholesale fueling facilities offer higher ethanol-blended motor fuels. It would also provide grants to upgrade existing facilities.
Cal Dalton is a corn grower from Endeavor who sends most of his crop to ethanol facilities in Columbia County. He says this bill would not only benefit Wisconsin agriculture but would also bring lower gas prices.
“Typically the 15 percent blend of ethanol is 5-10 cents a gallon cheaper, sometimes even 20 depending on the station,” he says. “It’s a good value for the consumer. Any car built from 2001 to present day can use that fuel. It’s a clean fuel, there’s a lot less pollution associated with it.”