United States Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican from Nebraska, joined a bi-partisan group of Senators to re-introduce legislation that would grant the Secretary of Energy to use Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) penalties to provide grants to eligible entities who install alternative fuel pumps for fuel types such as E85 ethanol and natural gas. Senator Chuck Hagel was one of an original co-sponsor for the bill in the 109th Congress.

U.S. automakers are creating an increasing number of vehicles that operate on alternative fuels, such as E85 ethanol blended gasoline, but only one percent of the gas stations in the U.S. provide E85 fuel. This legislation will provide grant funds for the construction or expansion of infrastructure necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels. CAFE standards are the weighted average fuel economy for a manufactures production list of automobiles. Penalties are assigned to manufactures who do not meet the CAFE standards.

"Our nation needs alternative fuels to play an increased role in creating a broader and more diverse energy portfolio. We must begin to expand the availability of alternative fuels, such as E85 ethanol, to American consumers. This is common sense legislation that will help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy while at the same time providing additional markets for Nebraska’s agriculture producers," Hagel proclaimed.