The state of Florida is one step closer to reducing its dependency on imported oil.
Through a partnership between Inland Food Stores and the State of Florida, General Motors announced the first public E85 station located in Tallahassee at an event presided by Florida Governor Jeb Bush. With GM as the backbone, several similar partnerships have already been instituted with various states and fuel providers around the country to locate up to 170 new E85 ethanol fueling locations by the end of 2006.
The news follows the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition’s statement in May which announced Florida getting the green light to offer E85 at the retail level. Earlier in 2006, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Human Services held a meeting in Tallahassee, Florida, bringing together representatives from many different sectors of the bio-fuel industry to discuss opportunity and strategy for growers and producers.
“This is a great day to see the first E85 station open to the public in Florida,” said Phil Lampert, Executive Director of the NEVC in an official statement. “We are proud to see the efforts of so many in developing this station come to fruition. General Motors, the state of Florida, Inland, and others all worked hard to establish this site. It is particularly important given that Florida is a major consumer of motor fuels and contains the third highest population of FFVs in the nation.”
"GM already has more than two million vehicles on the road today that are capable of using E85 ethanol fuel," said Elizabeth Lowery, GM vice president of environment and energy said in a press release issued by General Motors. "We appreciate that Inland Food Stores is joining our efforts to make this great fuel alternative available to people in Florida. We also appreciate the support of Gov. Bush and the State of Florida as we continue to promote the use of E85 ethanol and its many benefits for the environment, the economy and consumers."
Florida joins the state of Ohio which also announced this week the opening of two E85 stations in Marion. According to an article from Columbus Business First, nine alternative fuel retail locations will open statewide before the end of 2006.
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