Posted July 20, 2010

The American Coalition for Ethanol recognized the first blender pump installed in Grand Forks, N.D. Brian Jennings, ACE executive vice president, and ACE founder Merle Anderson, Climax, Minn., congratulated Valley Dairy owner Monica Musich at a brief event July 20, the opening day of the Biomass Workshop organized by the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center .

“I’m really pleased to be the first station in Grand Forks to put a blender pump in,” Musich said. While a long-time supporter of ethanol, two things helped her make the decision to install the pumps—a state incentive program and the Underwriters Laboratory approval of a dispenser pump. The totally refurbished station, including new tanks and pumps opened June 24. “I’m hoping the blender pumps go over well,” she said. “I’d much rather help farmers than others.” The locally-owned group includes nine convenience stores and gas stations in Grand Forks and neighboring East Grand Forks, Minn.

The 2009 North Dakota legislature provided one-time funding for a biofuels blender pump program. The program has a grant ceiling of $5,000 per pump and $40,000 per retail location and a short time-frame, opening for applications this spring with a closing deadline of Oct. 31. The North Dakota Corn Council is boosting the state grant with an additional $2,500 grant per pump.