 |
| President George
W. Bush and Virginia Sen. George Allen talk about the importance
of renewable fuels yesterday at the Virginia Biodiesel Refinery.
|
Bush
Reaffirms Commitment to Renewable Fuels, NCGA Notes (5-17-05)
President George
W. Bush reaffirmed his commitment to ethanol and biodiesel during
a visit to the Virginia Biodiesel Refinery near West Point, Va.,
Monday. NCGA Director of Public Policy Samantha Slater and Virginia
Corn Growers Association Executive Director Ellen Davis attended
the event where Bush outlined a four-point strategy that includes
domestic production of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel
to "address the root causes of high gasoline prices."
“From
a Virginia standpoint we were thrilled to have the president come
and talk about renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel,”
said Davis. “We were also very pleased with the comments made
by Sen. George Allen who voiced his support at the event for a comprehensive
energy plan that included renewable fuels standard (RFS).”
Davis noted
it is important Virginians and the rest of the nation understand
the benefits of renewable fuels. “Renewable fuels have a tremendous
impact on the agriculture economy and the economy at large,”
she said. “Agriculture and forestry contribute $49 billion
annually to the economy of Virginia. That’s pretty big when
you look at just our state and compare that to what could be for
the entire nation to use renewable fuels. Having a comprehensive
energy policy with an RFS will keep the farmers in business.”
In urging increased
domestic production of alternative, cleaner fuels such as ethanol
and biodiesel the president cited a federal study that projects
alternative fuels could provide about one-fifth of America's transportation
fuel within 25 years.
“Another
important alternative fuel is ethanol,” Bush told attendees.
“Ethanol comes from corn, and it can be mixed with gasoline
to produce a clean, efficient fuel. In low concentrations, ethanol
can be used in any vehicle. And with minor modifications, vehicles
can run on fuel blend that includes 85 percent ethanol and only
15 percent gasoline…” He also said ethanol and biodiesel
produce less overall air pollution than gasoline or conventional
diesel and that expanding their usage will help communities to meet
clean air standards.
At yesterday’s
event, the president announce an $84 million request for biofuels
research in his Fiscal Year 2006 budget and said he supports "a
flexible, cost-effective renewable fuel standard" that would
require fuel producers to include a certain percentage of ethanol
and biodiesel in their fuel.