$3 million federal grant to help bring biodiesel hub for farmers to Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities will soon be home to a biodiesel hub, thanks in part to a multi-million federal grant.
Tidewater Terminal Company has received $3.1 million in federal matching funds to complete a new biodiesel distribution hub at their Snake River Terminal in Pasco.
The Clean Energy Transition Project grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, according to a news release from Sen. Maria Cantwell’s office.
The goal of the project is to help Eastern Washington farmers with cleaner fuel to meet new state fuel standards and reduce the carbon footprint of wheat, barley and potato harvests, said the release.
The funding will help pay for installation of specialty equipment required for the blending, storage and distribution of biodiesel fuels at the terminal on the Franklin County side of the Snake River where it flows into the Columbia River.
Tidewater will receive neat biodiesel by railcar, store it in two 400,000-gallon tanks, and blend and offload it for delivery through an upgraded and expanded truck rack.
That will allow Tidewater to dedicate a truck bay for biodiesel blending and neat biodiesel, and feed the fuel to a pipeline serving the BNSF Railway’s fueling system in its Pasco rail yard.
“Supplying homegrown fossil fuel alternatives to Washington state’s agriculture economy will help farmers meet their fuel needs while lowering their carbon footprint,” Cantwell, D-Wash., said in the news release. “Increasing regional fuel supplies should also help reduce petroleum diesel prices that have remained at historic highs and cost businesses throughout the region.”
“Transitioning to a clean energy economy is how we tackle the climate crisis while creating good paying jobs in every part of our state — and that absolutely needs to include our farmers and rural communities,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. “With this funding I helped to secure, biodiesel will be readily available for farmers across eastern Washington and beyond. This is going to lower costs, lower carbon emissions, and strengthen the local economy. This is a huge win for the entire Tri-Cities community.”
The yard will help increase the Pacific Northwest’s biodiesel capacity by 12 million gallons per year. It is aimed at providing cleaner fuel to the heavy equipment farmers use, bringing as much as 2 million gallons per month during peak harvest times, according to the release.
“This federal award supports Tidewater’s goal of establishing a regional distribution center to serve rural, agricultural communities in the Pacific Northwest with renewable energy resources,” said Todd Busch, Tidewater President and CEO. “I would like to thank Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray for all their work to secure this investment in our region.”
It will also provide fuel to gas stations and BNSF, helping the railroad in their effort to reduce emissions by 30%.
Biodiesel can be made from a range of feedstocks including soybean oil, animal fats and used cooking oil, and produces significantly less carbon emissions and local air pollution than conventional petroleum-based fuel.
This story was originally published March 20, 2023 at 12:56 PM.