Editor’s note: This is the second in a three-part series about environmental issues on campus.

Iowa State is planning to build a new E-85 tank on campus to cater to its fleet of flex-fuel vehicles. Construction is scheduled to start early this summer.

E-85 is a blend of fuel that uses 85 percent ethanol instead of 10 percent that regular gas uses today.

Craig Tordsen, program coordinator for the Value Added Agriculture Program and one of the people who helped get the project under way, said the fuel is better for the environment.

“The benefits of E-85 are that it is a renewable fuel and it’s grown locally,” Tordsen said.

Planning for the project began in October, when Tordsen mentioned it to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy.

“I asked him how come we don’t have a E-85 fueling pump on campus,” Tordsen said. “We talked a little bit, and we thought it would be a good idea if we did have one.”

Tordsen went on, with some help, to raise the money for the project, which will cost about $30,000 to build.

“It was through a really bipartisan group here at Iowa State that we got together and said, ‘yeah, we have to do this,'” he said. “Everybody threw a few dollars in and no one had to do it by themselves.”

Half of the money came from the Iowa Corn Growers Association, with the remaining funds coming from the university, ISU transportation services, the College of Agriculture and the Value Added Agriculture Program.

The tank is being ordered this week, with construction slated for late May or early June.

David Strom, manager of ISU transportation services, said many vehicles on campus are already ready to use E-85.

“We have 129 E-85-capable vehicles in the ISU fleet,” Strom said. “These vehicles drive over 1.7 million miles a year.”

Iowa State used more than 7,000 gallons of the fuel that it got from the Iowa Department of Transportation. With a tank in the transportation services facility, Strom expects campus to use much more.

“With a local tank, right here at my facility, I estimate that I will be able to use over 50,000 gallons of E-85 next year,” said Strom.

Tordsen said much of the fuel is going to come from local sources.

“It’s going to be purchased from the new E-85 plant that is being put in Nevada, Iowa,” said Tordsen. “Our money will be spent here in the state on fuel that we grow here.”

Tordsen hopes this will not only help reduce dependence on foreign oil, but will benefit the farmers in Iowa as well.

“We are here to help people who help us,” Tordsen said. “The Iowa farmers’ tax dollars go into this institution. This is just a way to give back to them.”

Tordsen said he is excited to have this as a way to get the word out about E-85 to the entire state.

“They will get the experience of filling up with E-85 and find out that it works great.”