Flex-fuel pump opens Friday at Norfolk Navy base

Posted to: Environment Military Norfolk Traffic - Transportation
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By Meredith Kruse
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 27, 2010

NORFOLK

The Navy is opening its second E85 flex-fuel gas pump in Hampton Roads on Friday at Norfolk Naval Station.

The pump will be open to the public, and military ID is not required. On opening day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the fuel will be sold for 85 cents per gallon.

Many government vehicles run on the ethanol-based alternative fuel. The Navy claims the largest fleet of alternative fuel vehicles in the state. For a list of vehicles that can run on E85, click here.

The Norfolk naval site will be the fourth public access E85 station in Virginia - and three are operated by Navy Exchange Service Command, according to a news release. The Navy's other local public pump is at Oceana Naval Air Station.

The new facility is located across the street from the NEX gas station and package store on Mall Drive. Customers must pay with a credit card.

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Violation

Submitted by misterd on Mon, 08/16/2010 at 11:21 am.

I do believe this could be in violation of the Navy Exchange and all Exchange charters for selling productions to the general public and using Navy Exchange funds to do it. If you can sell this gas to the general public then why not open the whole exchange to the public.

Yah, hmmmm

Submitted by mm12175 on Tue, 07/27/2010 at 12:39 pm.

Where in DOD's mission does it say the Navy should operate gas stations open to the public? Wonder what the struggling private gas station owners think about that? Maybe the military SHOULD be downsized if they have time for this.

Who said anything about this

Submitted by Radman on Tue, 07/27/2010 at 4:05 pm.

Who said anything about this being the Navy's mission? Maybe the struggling private gas station owners should put in E85 pumps and start contributing their profits to military's MWR fund.

What about the bay?

Submitted by sdougan on Tue, 07/27/2010 at 11:46 am.

The issue of farming runoff in the bay was just in the news. Using ethanol as a primary fuel means we're going to need a lot more farming.

Corrolarry:

Submitted by truthseeker on Tue, 07/27/2010 at 10:00 am.

Can anyone tell where the garage/mechanic is located to repair all the vehicles filled up by those who are blissfully unaware that not all cars can use this fuel?

poor choice

Submitted by commonsenseguy on Tue, 07/27/2010 at 9:50 am.

Ethanol is not a 'green' product or environmentally friendly in any way. It uses a lot of fuel and water to produce, requires the application of pesticides and fertilizer unusually high amount of other natural resources to produce, is not particularly efficient and emits higher amounts of greenhouse gases (including production emissions) than other alternatives. When you factor in all of the energy used in production, it takes more energy to produce the fuel than it provides.

But its cheap!

Submitted by shaneg43121 on Tue, 07/27/2010 at 11:41 am.

But Its CHEAP! And isnt that the bottom line of Capitalism?
Who cares about the environment?! This is a new technology that is making someone somewhere really rich right about now. And think of all of the new 'converts' who will blindly jump onto this bandwagon because of the low price tag?

*Authors note* This message was intended for purely sarcastic (but sadly truthful) purposes.