Kansas partners with General Motors for American energy independence
NGA facilitates partnership between GM and ten states to promote E-85 fuel
The National Governors Association (NGA) has announced that Kansas has been selected to partner with General Motors Corporation (GM) to jumpstart the siting, development and usage of E-85 across the state.
"By directing new resources to address the opportunities and challenges of E-85 fuel, Kansas can do its part in improving the nation's energy security while giving consumers more choices at the pump," said Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who served as Co-Chair of the NGA initiative, Securing a Clean Energy Future. "Ethanol makes up a portion of our nation's fuel, uses our natural resources, and its availability in the market helps keep gas prices down by as much as thirty-five cents."
Increasing ethanol usage offers an opportunity to displace a significant share of imported oil usage in the United States and diversify the transportation supply. In 2007, the United States used 6.8 billion gallons of ethanol, almost all of which was made from domestically- produced corn. With the production and use of Flex Fuel Vehicles increasing across the country, consumers are ready for an expanded E-85 infrastructure.
"Increasing the use of clean, domestically grown biofuels like ethanol will help move us toward a cleaner, more secure energy future," said John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center for Best Practices.
Under the terms of the partnership, GM will provide technical assistance to help Kansas assess optimal locations for E-85 infrastructure. GM will work with top ethanol producers and fuel infrastructure experts to optimize the E-85 supply to the state and will leverage its network of dealers, plants and offices and its extended ethanol-related network to promote and advocate E-85 usage.
In addition to receiving technical assistance from GM, Kansas will also develop an E-85 taskforce including a team of state officials, retailers and automobile manufacturers to help identify target areas for E-85 refueling stations.
Kansas was announced along with nine other states: Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.