By Lori EhdeU.S. Sen. Mark Dayton stopped in Luverne Thursday, June 2, to pump ethanol at Farmers Union Co-Op Oil on South Highway 75.Dayton filled his own ethanol-powered SUV in Luverne while promoting 85 percent ethanol-blended fuel, known as E-85. He also filled a Ford Taurus owned by LHS student Brad Herman. Dayton washed windows and chatted with local students, politicians and ethanol supporters."Any Minnesotan looking to buy a new vehicle should be sure to ask for a flexible fuel engine, which runs on E-85," Dayton said, "because the price of gas is going to keep increasing while ethanol continues to be a cheaper alternative." Right now in Luverne, E-85 costs $1.39 and unleaded gasoline costs $1.95."Instead of spending $115 billion yearly on foreign oil, we can put that money back into the pockets of Minnesota farmers by buying this corn-based fuel," Dayton said.His E-85 tour included stops in Minneapolis, Austin, Luverne, Mankato, Marshall, Rochester, and Worthington. "Minnesotans can buy the vehicles they like to drive and fill up with homegrown fuel that's more energy efficient, more environmentally friendly, cheaper, and potentially more beneficial for our rural economy," Dayton said.He said 7 percent of vehicles now sold in Minnesota have the flex fuel option, but less than a third of the drivers are using that option.That’s why he was on the road Thursday to promote E-85.He said Minnesota motorists should use ethanol when they can, rather than continuing to depend on fuel from foreign countries. "It’s an economic grand slam," Dayton said, "but, so far, we haven’t managed to get to first base." Last month, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Dayton’s amendment requiring automobile manufacturers to display a decal on the gas tanks and windshields of E-85-compatible vehicles effective in 2007. It would inform motorists that the vehicle is capable of running on the alternative fuel.Dayton has also introduced two other pieces of legislation, the Freedom from Foreign Oil Act, which would require all vehicles, beginning in model year 2012, to be E-85 compatible; and the Renewable Fuels Standard, which would add eight billion gallons of ethanol to the nation’s gasoline supply, each year, effective the same year. Two weeks ago, Dayton traveled to Detroit to visit the manufacturing plants of General Motors and Ford Motors and to meet with vehicle designers and engineers to discuss ways to provide more of America’s drivers with the option of using E-85. At each of his stops, Dayton presented a new feature of his official Senate Web site that allows Minnesotans to determine whether their own vehicles are E-85 compatible and to locate E-85-supplied gas stations in their area. The Web site is at: http://dayton.senate.gov/issues/agriculture/renewablefuels.cfm.