|
|  |
Senate
Legislation Promotes NCGA's Vision for Ethanol's Growth (6-8-01)
NCGA played a key
role in shaping "The Renewable Fuels for Energy Security Act,"
introduced today by Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Tim Johnson (D-SD).
Their bill sets a national renewable fuel standard for gasoline and
diesel production, and paints a bold vision for the future of ethanol:
Annual production goals of 9 billion gallons by 2011 and 16 billion
gallons by 2015. Sens. Hagel and Johnson's legislation calls for ethanol
replacing 3 percent of the energy used in highway transportation by
2011, rising to 5 percent by 2016. At those levels of production, ethanol
would displace 300,000 barrels of oil imports daily in 2011 and 610,000
barrels a day in 2016. This bill is visionary because it sets ethanol
production goals that advance the goal of energy security and self-sufficiency
that President Bush cited when he introduced his energy plan last month.
Lee Klein, NCGA President and a Battle Creek, Neb., farmer said: "The
Renewable Fuels for Energy Security Act translates the hopes and aspirations
of NCGA's Ethanol Task Force into a vehicle that can make our dream
become reality by: Growing the ethanol industry so that corn producers
can help the nation meet its energy needs, raising the price of corn
so that farmers can help themselves and their families, and building
more ethanol plants so that we can develop employment and economic opportunities
in rural communities. We look forward to working with Senators Hagel
and Johnson to place a renewable fuels provision into the energy bill
during the 107th Congress."
Last
reviewed June 7, 2001
|