Very cool. b5 at all Missouri diesel pumps if this bill goes through. Link here.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - 2:29 PM CDT
Missouri Senate approves biodiesel standard
St. Louis Business Journal
The Missouri Senate on Monday gave initial approval to a statewide
biodiesel standard that would require all diesel fuel sold in Missouri
to be blended with at least 5 percent biodiesel (B5) by June 1, 2010.
Gov. Matt Blunt urged the Senate to pass Senate Bill 759,
introduced by Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Napton, and send the legislation to
the House for action. If the bill passes, Missouri could become the
sixth state in the nation to pass a statewide biodiesel standard.
Minnesota passed and enacted nation's first biodiesel standard at a
2 percent blend. Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington have also
passed biodiesel standards, but these policies have yet to take effect.
Statewide biodiesel standards complement the new federal energy
bill that mandates the United States reach 36 billion gallons of
biofuel use by 2022.
A B5 standard in Missouri will reduce particulate matter emissions
by 15.4 million pounds and carbon monoxide emissions by 168 million
pounds, according to a release from Blunt.
The Missouri Soybean Association
expects the state's biodiesel production capacity to reach at least 125
million gallons in 2008, which would be able to provide enough
biodiesel to cover the 60-million-gallon market that would be created
by the biodiesel mandate.
There are currently 10 biodiesel plants in production throughout the state and additional facilities are underway.
SB 759 says fuel stations would not be required to sell biodiesel
unless the price is equal to or less than conventional diesel fuel.
The bill would still allow fuel retailers, wholesalers,
distributors, and marketers to purchase fuel ethanol from any terminal,
position holder, fuel ethanol producer, wholesaler or supplier.
Diesel fuel used by railroads and nuclear power generation facilities are exempt from the bill.
