REAP fuels choice in SD

The South Dakota fuel retailer, Stone Oil Company, Inc. was one of 12 different groups to receive ethanol blender pump grants yesterday following an announcement made by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Renewable Energy for America Program.

Stone’s gas station, The Prairie Stop located on the Westside of Watertown at the intersection of US Hwy 212 and SD Hwy 20 in Northeast South Dakota was awarded $33,307 which will go towards the installation of two new ethanol blender pumps.

“We are excited to offer higher blends of ethanol like E20, E30 and E85 to meet the growing demand for homegrown energy in our market,” said the Stone’s Oil Company owner. “Ethanol benefits more than just the farmers, it’s good for the entire community.”

“Giving fuel consumer’s additional choice at the pump is always a good thing,” said SDCGA President, Gary Duffy, a farmer from Oldham, SD. “They can either use more of a clean and local energy source, or they can continue to rely on dirty, imported oil. The choice is theirs.”

This round of REAP grants totaled 12 projects in eight states creating additional American biofuel infrastructure throughout the country as the USDA continues their commitment to broadening consumer access to clean, renewable energy. REAP has created an additional 266 ethanol blender pumps in 30 states, with 65 of them coming this year. Combined, REAP projects are expected to reduce energy usage by 2 billion kilowatts and prevent nearly 2 million metric tons of emissions from being released into the environment.