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| NCGA
President Leon Corzine speaks at a press event announcing legislation
introduced by Sen. Barrack Obama, right, that would provide
tax incentives for retailers and consumers of E85. |
NCGA
Represented as Sen. Obama Introduces E85 Legislation (4-19-05)
The National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) was represented Monday at a press
conference where Sen. Barrack Obama (D-Ill.) announced legislation
that would provide a 50 percent tax credit to anyone who wants to
build an E85 fuel station. The bill would also provide a tax credit
of 35 cents per gallon to consumers who purchase E85, a fuel blended
with 85 percent ethanol that can be used in flexible fuel vehicles.
NCGA President
Leon Corzine, spoke on behalf of NCGA at the E85 fueling station
event in Springfield, Ill. “Thank you, Sen. Obama for showing
such strong leadership and tackling this issue,” said Corzine,
a grower from Assumption, Ill. “High energy costs affect every
citizen, every business and every Illinois industry.”
In introducing the legislation, Obama said the frontlines for the
battle for an energy-independent America are in Springfield and
towns across America.
“For too
long now, we’ve relied too heavily on foreign oil to fuel
our energy needs in this country, and for too long politicians have
just passed the buck or gotten themselves bogged down in partisanship
over what to do about it,” Obama said. “Oil is now above
$50 per barrel, and if you take into account just how much oil we
import each day, that means we’re paying almost $750 million
every single day just for oil. People I’ve met in Illinois
and all over America are already struggling to pay their bills.
They don’t need to worry about skyrocketing gas prices on
top of everything else.”
The senator
said his legislation gives the United States an opportunity to “actually
get something done about” energy independence. “You
know, I’ve only been in Washington for a little while, but
I can tell you that it’s not often you find an issue that
everyone agrees on,” he said. “But increasing the production
of ethanol is something that everyone can get behind: Democrats
and Republicans, Congress and the president, farmers and the ethanol
industry.”
Corzine said
ethanol plays a key role in making a significant contribution to
the nation’s energy needs through 10 percent ethanol, noting
80 percent of the gasoline sold in Illinois contains 10 percent
ethanol and that the state produces roughly 840 million gallons
of ethanol. He also noted well-performing ethanol is renewable,
reduces air pollution, provides jobs and a positive net energy balance
by converting the sun’s energy to liquid fuel.
“Senator
Obama is an ethanol champion and recognizes all these benefits,”
Corzine said. “He wants to grow this success for rural America
and the nation.”