By Rep. Paul Anderson
Dear Neighbor,
The biggest holiday of the summer season is upon us as we celebrate the Fourth of July this week. Traditionally, this marks the mid-point of summer, and it’s a time when families gather at the lake for cook-outs, campfires, and fishing. May you have a fun-filled and safe holiday, and when you’re admiring the fireworks display wherever you may be, take a minute to appreciate this great country of ours and how blessed we are to be living here.
Many will also be traveling during the coming days. And, as usually happens during major holiday periods, the price of gas seems to be creeping up. Ran across this report from the Minnesota Dept. of Commerce concerning our state’s use of E-85, the mixture of up to 85 percent ethanol and regular unleaded gasoline. During the first three months of the year, sales of E-85 were 3.77 million gallons, which represents a huge increase of 49 percent from one year earlier. On average statewide, it’s been priced around 65 cents less per gallon than regular gas, with some stations running promotions that have it priced at one dollar below regular. Usage figures for the second quarter of the year are due to be released in early July.
Market acceptance of another mixture of gas and ethanol, known as E-15, has not caught on as fast as some had hoped. Even though it’s been cleared by the EPA to run in vehicles newer than 2001, E-15 is available at only seven locations in Minnesota. A joint promotion by the Minnesota Corn Growers and the Dept. of Agriculture has funding available for stations looking to offer the higher blend. Several other service station locations have “blender pumps,” which offer consumers the choice of ethanol blends ranging from E-10 all the way up to E-85.
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I attended a meeting last week put on by the Soybean Growers as they focus attention on Minnesota’s move to a B-10 level of bio in diesel fuel sold in Minnesota beginning on July 1. The increase from the current 5 percent was included in legislation passed years ago that allowed for such an increase when market conditions in the state would allow it. Those conditions were met last year, and the Dept. of Agriculture announced at that time the increase would take place. This increase in bio pertains only to number 2 diesel fuel and will remain in effect during the months of April through September only. During our cold weather months, the requirement goes back to 5 percent.
Minnesota has mandated the use of bio diesel since 2005 when the level was set at 2 percent. It increased to 5 percent in 2009 and now 10 percent this year.
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This area seemed to miss the heavy rain forecast for this past weekend. We were in Melrose for their River Fest celebration Saturday and there was light rain during the parade, but the weather cleared off nicely during the afternoon. Sunday was also dry with plenty of sunshine and wind, just what we need to start drying out our saturated soils. We took in the Vikingland Band Festival in Alexandria and saw some outstanding units putting on their routines. The Albany band was there, along with other area units from Benson, Fergus Falls, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, and Bertha-Hewitt, along with the host school. In all, 22 bands took part in the competition, with one of them, KMS, going for its sixth straight first place finish in the smaller-school category.
Community celebrations are scheduled for this weekend in Villard and Starbuck, with both cities hosting parades on Saturday. The Villard parade is set for 2 p.m., with Starbuck’s getting underway at 6 p.m.
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