Citgo's proposed biofuel storage tank continued until November

Construction of fuel company Citgo's proposed biodiesel storage tank will not begin yet, after members of the Planning Board voted to continue the request until November.

Citgo plans to build a new steel tank at its 57 million gallon Quincy Avenue terminal in Braintree, Massachusetts to hold just under 270,000 gallons of biodiesel made from animal and vegetable fats.

Citgo currently mixes biodiesel with fossil diesel or heating oil in separate tanks and then transfers this blend to trucks. This new storage tank would allow Citgo to directly mix the biodiesel inside the trucks.

The proposal will now carry on until 13 November while the Planning Board examines the proposed site and ensures Citgo has suitable fire precautions in place. The board is mostly concerned about a heating element needed to keep the biodiesel warm, in addition to contamination and the direction of the pipes.

Citgo has worked to achieve a 5% biodiesel blend since 2007 and this goal will be easier to reach with a dedicated biodiesel tank, according to the terminal's manager Allen Morris.