Gas station brings energy efficient ideas to Lawrence

Zarco 66 offers 10 renewable fuel blends and provides ‘green’ atmosphere.

By Asher Fusco (Contact)

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

U.S. Rep Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) helped celebrate the grand opening of the Zarco 66 Earth Friendly Fuels Station, 900 Iowa St., by describing his collaborative approach to environmentalism.

It was only fitting that he carpooled to the event with Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator John Askew.

Moore, Askew, Lawrence Mayor Mike Dever and Kansas Department of Agriculture Secretary Adrian Polansky spoke Monday morning to recognize the station’s innovative “green” technology. The EPA also gave the station an award for working to reduce pollution.

Photo by Asher Fusco

Zarco 66 owner Scott Zaremba

“We value innovation and collaboration, and this kind of project shows many organizations working together,” Askew said. “The EPA intends to provide funding to evaluate the benefits of this project and help develop a framework that other stations who want to go ‘green’ can go by.”

The station offers conventional gas, ethanol and biodiesel fuels along with 10 renewable fuel blends. Most standard vehicles can use fuel blends that include no more than 10 percent ethanol or five percent biodiesel. Zarco 66’s conventional gas, “E-10”, “B-2” and “B-5” blends will work in most vehicles.

Polansky said gasoline prices would be 15 percent higher if biofuels did not exist and that the station would help provide efficient energy.

The station’s biofuels aren’t its only green attraction. The owners made the lighting scheme more energy efficient and installed a “green roof” to filter pollutants and retain storm water. The station uses a solar power system that could reduce its emissions. A botanical garden and a small-scale wind turbine are in the works as well.

“If we come at this from 40 different directions, we can find a way to solve these problems for future generations in our country,” Moore said. “This is about the future of our world.”

Askew said the partnership between the EPA, the city of Lawrence, Zarco 66 and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment was an important part of the process.

“The network of individuals, businesses and community is voluntarily working to reduce pollution beyond regulatory requirements, and that’s key,” Askew said. “We can regulate all we can, but it takes strong people, innovative people to go beyond compliance.”

— Edited by Jesse Temple

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