The United States National Governors Association has announced a public-private partnership between its NGA's Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative and General Motors Corporation, to help States increase the number of E-85 fueling stations.

Under the partnership, States will develop a strategy for installing E-85 pumps in key locations.

GM will provide technical assistance to States in developing these strategies and will leverage their relationships with the automobile and ethanol industries to help States implement their strategies.

GM will provide technical assistance to states to help them assess optimal locations for E-85 infrastructure.

They will also work with top ethanol producers and fuel infrastructure experts to optimize E-85 supply to States.

GM's participation will include an assigned liaison to lead the assessment from a GM standpoint and to participate on the States' E85 task forces.

Additionally, GM will leverage its network (dealers, plants, offices) and its extended ethanol related network (ethanol industry stakeholders, NGOs, corporate partners) to promote and advocate E85 usage in the states.

This promotion and advocacy effort can include: state/local education/awareness through GM and dealer efforts; mailings to GM FFV owners on E85 stations; advertising (print, outdoor, internet); dealer/station promotions; and broader promotional and marketing events.

Participating States will establish an E-85 task force that includes a team of state officials, retailers and auto manufacturers to help identify target areas for E-85 refueling states, perform the assessment, identify potential funding sources to support pump installation/conversion, and assist with implementing, where appropriate, the resulting recommendations.