FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

CONTACT: Lindsay Mitchell
                    (309) 827-0912

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.—The seventh fueling station to offer E15 opens new pumps and announces E15 for sale tomorrow during a ribbon cutting event in Rochelle, IL.  The Petro Travel Plaza, 900 Petro Road, Rochelle will open ten new fueling stations with E15, available side-by-side at every station that offers E10.

On November 20, the station is offering an introductory fuel price: E15 at $0.15 below the cost of E10.  However, long term, the station expects to be able to offer E15 at a lower price than E10 because ethanol is a less expensive fuel and the station plans to pass that savings along to its customers.

“This new fueling station offers customers the perfect opportunity to see in person what corn farmers have been saying all along.  Ethanol is cheaper than imported oil and is saving Americans money at the pump every single day,” said Paul Taylor, President of the Illinois Corn Growers Association.  “When customers fuel up at the Petro Station in Rochelle, they will see a side-by-side comparison of what an increased amount of ethanol in their fuel can do for their pocketbooks.”

Petro Travel Plaza is the largest full-service travel plaza in Northern Illinois.  The locally-owned Petro Stopping Centers franchise has become a Rochelle landmark and an oasis for drivers and travelers from across the country.  The Travel Plaza was the first to introduce biodiesel, E85, and now a pioneer in Northern Illinois to offer the blend of E15 gasoline at the pumps.

A partnership with Illinois River Energy, a plant producing ethanol in Rochelle, allows Petro to deliver locally produced ethanol to the area.  A partnership with the Illinois Corn Marketing Board helps to offset the costs of installing new E15 pumps.

E15 is a safe, higher octane fuel composed of 15 percent clean burning ethanol and 85 percent petroleum.  E15 has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in model year cars 2001 and newer; light duty trucks; medium-duty passenger cars (SUVs); and all flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs).

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