Colorado

Division of Oil and Public Safety, 303-318-8525

Alternative Fuel Definition
Alternative fuel is defined as compressed natural gas, propane, ethanol, or any mixture containing 85% or more ethanol (E85) with gasoline or other fuels, electricity, or any other fuels, which may include clean diesel and reformulated gasoline, so long as the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission determines that these other fuels result in comparable reductions in carbon monoxide emissions and brown cloud pollutants. Alternative fuel does not include any fuel product that contains or is treated with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 25-7-106.8)

Renewable and Alternative Fuel Storage Tank Regulations
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Oil and Public Safety, enforces rules concerning the placement of underground and aboveground storage tanks that contain alternative and renewable fuel. For the purpose of these regulations, an alternative fuel is a motor fuel that combines petroleum-based fuel products with renewable fuels; a renewable fuel is a motor vehicle fuel produced from plant or animal products or wastes. (Reference 7 Code of Colorado Regulations 1101-14 and Colorado Revised Statutes 8-20.5-202 and 8-20.5-302)

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Tax Credit AFVs titled and registered in Colorado are eligible for a tax credit. For the purpose of the credit, AFVs include dedicated or bi-fuel natural gas, propane, and hydrogen vehicles. The tax credit is equal to the amounts listed below:

Eligible purchased vehicles must be new, and eligible leased vehicles must have a lease with a term of not less than two years. A purchaser may assign the tax credit generated through the purchase, lease, or conversion to any of the above categories of vehicle to the financing entity, allowing the purchaser to realize the value of the tax credit at the time of purchase, lease, or conversion. The financing entity may collect an administrative fee of no more than $150.

For more information, see the Colorado Department of Revenue's Income 69(PDF) FYI publication.

(Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 39-22-516.7 and 39-22-516.8)

Ethanol Infrastructure Grants and Loan Guarantees
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loan guarantees to rural (population less than 50K) small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Eligible renewable energy systems include equipment used to distribute flexible fuels. The maximum grant funding is 25% of project costs and the maximum loan guarantee is $25 million. The program is funded through fiscal year 2018 but is subject to congressional appropriations thereafter. For more information, see the REAP website.

Point of Contact
Office of Rural Development, Business and Cooperative Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Phone: (202) 690-4730
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/

Click here for a complete list of domestic ethanol producers and sales contacts for E85/direct ethanol sales