Foster Holdings in Hampden receives federal funds to increase biofuel capacity
Courtesy / Foster Holdings
Foster Holdings, headquartered in Hampden, will receive federal money to develop biofuel infrastructure.
Foster Holdings LLC, headquartered in Hampden, is one of a nationwide pool of fuel providers that will share a $26 million investment in the development of biofuel infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week the company will receive $51,523 to build infrastructure to expand the availability of higher-blend renewable biofuels, according to a news release.
Foster Holdings LLC will receive the grant to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels. The company will install two 6,500-gallon biodiesel storage tanks, with piping to a truck distribution rack system, in Hampden. The project create the capacity to increase biodiesel sales by 3,352,000 gallons per year.
“This investment in local biofuel infrastructure will help expand the availability of higher-blend fuels to Maine consumers, giving them more of a choice when they fill their tanks,” Tommy Higgins, acting Maine state director of USDA Rural Development, said in the release.
Nationwide, USDA expects the program to expand biofuel availability by 822 million gallons annually in 23 states. The funding is intended to increase the use of biofuels derived from U.S. agricultural products and prioritize climate-smart solutions that support rural economies.
The USDA is making the awards under its Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. The program’s grants are for fueling stations, convenience stores, fleet centers, fuel terminals and others that provide motor fuel.
“By expanding the availability of higher-blend biofuels, we’re giving consumers more environmentally-friendly fuel choices when they fill up at the pump and stimulating an important market for U.S. farmers and ranchers,” Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson said in the release.
The announcement marks the one-year anniversary of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. To date, USDA has invested $66.4 million for projects that are expected to increase biofuels sales by 1.2 billion gallons annually.
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