August 02, 2010
Harkin-Lugar Amendment Would Give Ethanol a Boost
Published in Wallace Farmer
The week of August 2 the U.S. Senate is scheduled to begin debate on a new comprehensive energy bill introduced by majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) have offered an amendment that is being strongly endorsed by corn growers and other ethanol supporters. The Harkin-Lugar amendment would:
• Mandate the production of flex fuel vehicles by requiring all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. be flex fuel.
• Require the installation of blender pumps nationwide to dispense mid- and high-level ethanol blends.
• Create a federal loan guarantee program for pipelines to carry ethanol from production facilities to the major markets.
"Bipartisan support for the Harkin-Lugar amendment is crucial. The timing is also crucial, because if majority leader Reid is unable to cut off a filibuster, our next opportunity to address energy legislation in the Senate will be in September—after the month-long Congressional recess in August," says Phil Lampert, vice president of development for Growth Energy. Growth Energy is an organization of ethanol producers and others who support ethanol and want to see this amendment included in the new energy bill.
Ethanol promotion group encouraging farmers to call senators
"We are asking farmers and consumers to call their senators and encourage the senators to endorse the Harkin-Lugar amendment," says Lampert. "The more voices our senators hear in support of this legislation the more likely they will get behind it and help it to pass and become law. We are encouraging people to call the U.S. Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak with both senators from their state."
In another effort to boost the use of ethanol in the U.S., Harkin has called on Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to approve the use of E15 (15% ethanol blend) in the nation's gasoline supply. Currently, EPA only allows the use of blends up to 10% ethanol or E10 in non-flex fuel vehicles.
Groups seek E12 immediately, pending EPA's approval of E15
Last week, the National Corn Growers Association, the American Coalition for Ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Association sent a letter to Jackson asking her to approve the use of E12 in gasoline nationwide. The letter states, "Based on the EPA's delay in acting upon the full E15 waiver and on our concerns that the EPA will restrict the use of E15 to cars made in 2001 and newer, we encourage EPA to approve the use of E12 for all motor vehicles as an immediate interim step pending any ongoing additional testing on E15."
The letter adds, "The EPA has a clear basis and the authority to approve E12. While we think delay on allowing the use of E15 nationwide is unnecessary and will slow progress on expanding the use of ethanol, and we all agree that approval of E12 is a vital interim step that EPA can and should take."
The letter makes it clear that approval of E12 is an immediate step that can be taken by EPA since EPA is already authorized to do so. But spokesmen for all three of the groups that are asking EPA for this approval are quick to point out that the groups remain fully committed to efforts to gain eventual approval of the use of E15 for all vehicles nationwide.
Include biodiesel tax credit incentive in new energy legislation
Biodiesel ....
