State gets grant to help fund E85 along I-65

By CANDACE BEATY, Daily Journal of Johnson County staff writer

Travelers fueling up along Interstate 65 will have more environmentally friendly options as the state funds the installation of ethanol gas pumps over the next two years.

The state announced a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund 19 ethanol fueling stations, according to a news release.

Gas stations at Southport Road and I-65 in Indianapolis and at U.S. 31 and I-65 in Taylorsville will receive grant money to install the E85 ethanol pumps. The pumps will be installed during the next two years, said Christy Denault, a state spokeswoman.

Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel made from corn. E85 means the fuel is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Only vehicles with flex-fuel capacity can use E85, according to state's biofuel Web site.

The pumps will open at a Gas America, Family Express, Speedway or Gas City Inc. station, which are the program's retail partners.

The grant money went to the Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Development through the state's Clean Cities Program.

The Bargersville Gas America and Trafalgar's Joe's Junction fueling stations, both on State Road 135 in Johnson County, currently offer E85.

The state has opened all of its 41 ethanol pumps since January 2005, according to the release.

For more information about alternate fuels in Indiana visit www.in.gov/isda/biofuels.