MN HF1257

Appropriates $12,500,000 in fiscal year 2018 from the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants to motor fuel wholesalers and retailers for biofuel equipment installation.

Wholesale sellers are eligible for grants for up to two storage sites in Minnesota that store or blend motor gasoline with at least 15 percent agriculturally derived denatured ethanol by volume.

Retail motor fueling station operators are eligible for grants for up to 25 retail sites in Minnesota to install or modify equipment to dispense gasoline blended with at least 15 percent agriculturally derived denatured ethanol for spark ignition engines.

Grant awards must not exceed 90 percent of installation project costs, and up to $70,000 of the appropriation may be used for administration expenses.

Commissioner must work with stakeholders to establish operational criteria to meet biofuel requirements under Minnesota Statutes section 239.7911 and report annually to legislative committees on grants awarded and projected impact on biofuel replacement goals.