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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCGA Pleased with RFS Amendment to Energy Bill
Debate Expected Week of May 19
May
8,
2003
Contact: Tracy Taylor
Grondine, NCGA, 202.628.7001
WASHINGTON (May
8, 2003) -- NCGA is pleased the fuels provisions in S. 791 were offered
today as an amendment by Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and
Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (S.D.) to S. 14, the Senate energy bill.
“The renewable
fuels standard (RFS) is now under full consideration by the Senate,”
said NCGA Director of Public Policy Mark Palmer. “This is a major
step in making the RFS a reality.”
The provisions would
repeal the 2 percent oxygen content requirement for reformulated gasoline,
phase down the use of MTBE as a gasoline additive nationwide and put
in place a national renewable fuels requirement that would increase
up to 5 billion gallons per year over seven years. It also includes
national averaging and credit trading provisions for the renewable fuels
program, grants limited product liability protection to fuel producers
meeting federal requirements and prevents environmental backsliding.
According to Palmer,
debate on the energy bill will resume the week of May 19, at which time
he anticipates amendments to be offered to delete the RFS, remove the
safe harbor liability provision for renewable fuels, adjust the RFS
schedule downward, and provide regional carve-outs from the RFS.
“NCGA is requesting
all of its members to contact their senators supporting a 5 billion
gallon RFS as part of the energy bill, and oppose all amendments,”
concluded Palmer. “We are down to the wire and every grassroots
email and phone call counts. With many challenges in front of us, it
is imperative we gear up for this crusade.”
NCGA urges members
and other RFS supporters to email their senators encouraging passage
of an RFS by clicking on the action alert at www.ncga.com.
# # #
The National Corn
Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn growers in a changing world and to enhance corn's profitability
and usage. NCGA represents more than 32,000 members, 25 affiliated state
corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute
to state checkoff programs.
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