WASHINGTON, D.C. — In early March, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) EPAct Regulated Fleet Initiatives unveiled the E-85 Fleet Toolkit, an online tool designed to help fleet managers build ethanol fueling infrastructure. This comprehensive toolkit was constructed to encourage regulated and voluntary fleets to build E-85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) infrastructure to support flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on gasoline or ethanol/gasoline blends. The project was inspired by the results of a DOE survey of fleet managers that revealed a need for a "one-stop shop" for E-85 infrastructure information. "From regulatory considerations to determining equipment needs, it's a daunting task to work your way through the details of building new infrastructure or converting equipment to dispense alternative fuels," says Linda Bluestein, DOE Regulatory Manager of the EPAct State and Alternative Fuel Provider Rule. "We built the E-85 Toolkit to help ease the burden on fleets." The result is an easy-to-use Web site that walks fleets through the ins and outs of E-85 and infrastructure planning process. This timesaving toolkit will help fleets:

• Evaluate the best E-85 options for their organizations.
  

• Learn about the equipment and technologies required to install a fueling site.
  

• Find out about infrastructure codes, standards, and the permit processes.
  

• Look up fleet success stories and lessons learned from implementing E-85 infrastructure.
  

• Obtain contact information for leading industry associations, equipment manufacturers, fuel suppliers, state offices, and contractors.

  There is an interactive bulletin board fleet managers can use to discuss questions and concerns with peers and experts. The E-85 Fleet Toolkit is available to the public on the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Web site. The AFDC is an extensive Web-based resource for technical information, incentives and laws, success stories, and other information about alternative fuels. The new tool is at www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/e85toolkit. It is also accessible through the EPAct Web site at www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/epact.