Rep. Frank J. Mrvan announced a federal grant award for CITGO Petroleum in East Chicago under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) - Federal Aviation Administration's Fueling Aviation's Sustainable Transition (FAST) grant program.
According to the DOT, CITGO Petroleum will receive $18,334,500 to establish the Chicago Area SAF Blending Hub - CITGO Terminal in East Chicago. This funding will aim to enable the delivery, unloading, blending, and use of up to 42,000 gallons per day of sustainable aviation fuel. This project will facilitate cost effective SAF blending and rail logistics services at the CITGO East Chicago terminal with the end result to produce lower carbon aviation fuels that will reduce emissions.
Congressman Mrvan stated, “Congratulations to CITGO Petroleum on this initiative to further lead Northwest Indiana in the development of sustainable aviation fuels that will reduce emissions and create more economic activity in our region. I look forward to continuing to build on this success to attract federal investments that will grow our regional economy.”
Karl Schmidt, CITGO Vice President Supply and Marketing, stated, “This award is the first step in our efforts to enter the sustainable aviation fuel market, which requires a significant investment. We are grateful for Congressman Mrvan’s help in securing this grant so we can continue to develop the project towards a final investment decision. Our East Chicago terminal is one of our largest and is strategically located in the Midwest, making it an ideal SAF installation and one that we can model as we continue exploring additional SAF opportunities across our refining and marketing system.”
The FAST grant program was established under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which Congressman Mrvan supported and was signed into law during the 117th Congress.
