Groton — U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District; Robert Ross, executive director of the Connecticut Office of Military Affairs, and Navy officials highlighted Naval Submarine Base New London’s continuing commitment to greener and cleaner energy with a ribbon cutting and “fuel-up” event at the Navy Exchange’s new Flex Fuel pump on Feb. 20.

Part of a Navy-wide Alternative Fuel Infrastructure initiative that includes the construction of renewable fueling stations, the new pump at the sub base will dispense E85. E85 consists of 85 percent plant-based ethanol blended with 15 percent gasoline. Ethanol is environmentally friendly, produces less carbon dioxide emissions, and helps reduce dependence on foreign oil.

Flex Fuel vehicles are designed to run on more than one type of fuel, such as gasoline or E85. All personnel with access to the base may fuel their Flex Fuel vehicles at the Navy Exchange’s new E85 pump.

The pump and 6,000-gallon fuel tank installation was completed by TMC Environmental of Franklin, Mass. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center awarded the $300,000 contract.

The E85 pump at the base directly addresses the energy mandates set forth by the Secretary of the Navy and the president. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus directed the Navy to reduce its consumption of petroleum by 50 percent by this year, while the president’s Executive Order 13514 — Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance — calls for a 30-percent reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use and a 28-percent reduction in greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, by 2020.