The new Hy-Vee Gas station opened for business Tuesday on Henderson Street and brought with it Galesburg’s first E85 fueling pump.
Local elected officials as well as political hopefuls and members of the ag community showed up for this morning’s ribbon cutting ceremony.
Republican Senator Chuck Weaver took a moment after the ribbon cutting to champion E85 in the area.
“We want to absolutely support what the ethanol producers are doing in this area and the farmers, what they’re doing in this area,” Weaver said. “And this E85 continues to increase demand on the product, which of course helps the price, which brings dollars into this part of the country.”
Raymond E. Defenbaugh is president of Big River Resources, an ethanol company based in the Midwest corn belt. He tells WGIL the more E85 pumps, the better.
“It sells itself, but you’ve gotta get it delivered,” he says. “So this is a tremendous thing for our industry and we think the product sells itself.”
Republican Rep. Don Moffitt mirrored Weaver’s feelings, saying the inclusion of corn-based fuel at the Hy-Vee station is “really supporting local agri-business.”
