The Cedar River State Harbor will be the first public harbor in Michigan to offer boaters the option of purchasing environmentally friendly biodiesel marine fuel, state recreation officials announced today.

Boaters have the option of purchasing unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel or a 5-percent blend (B5) of biodiesel fuel. An intensive education campaign, coordinated by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee and the harbor, will help educate boaters about the benefits of using biodiesel fuels.

The DNR Parks and Recreation Division’s Green Initiatives Committee is monitoring the use of a 20 percent bio-blend diesel fuel (B20) in park equipment and also will measure boaters’ demand for the alternative fuel. The Green Initiatives Committee researches, recommends and tests environmentally friendly products and management practices in state park and recreation facilities.

"We’re very interested in educating boaters about this option to help protect Michigan’s waterways," said Carl Lindell, who heads the Green Initiatives Committee.

The new harbor, dedicated by the Michigan State Waterways Commission, adds another harbor of refuge for boaters and represents the newest amenities at state harbors.

"We’ve made the commitment to build a beautiful harbor," said Christine Cope, harbor manager. "I’m very glad to see the same commitment to ensuring that green products will be available to the boaters who use this harbor."

Currently used along Eastern and Western seaboards, marine biodiesel fuel has not been available at marinas on the Great Lakes, except for a limited trial of marine biodiesel in the Chicago area in the late 1990s. Cope said she hopes that boaters will lead the demand for more locations to offer biodiesel blends and increase the use of this cleaner, safer, American-grown fuel.