|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
Rhondalee A. Dean-Royce, 202.628.7001
NCGA Urges President Bush to Avoid Dipping Into Strategic Petroleum
Reserve
Comprehensive Energy Policy is Better Option
WASHINGTON (May 19, 2004) – National Corn Growers
Association (NCGA) President Dee Vaughan today urged President George
W. Bush not
to dip into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and instead enact
comprehensive energy policy containing a renewable fuels standard (RFS).
“We strongly disagree with recent suggestions by lawmakers in
tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and instead urge
continuing contribution to the SPR and urge you to renew your efforts
to pass comprehensive energy legislation as a matter of energy, national
and economic security,” Vaughan said in his letter. He was responding
to recent calls by members of Congress and others urging the president
to stop filling the SPR.
In advocating an RFS, Vaughan said a comprehensive
energy policy would result in the expansion of ethanol production,
directly contributing
to domestic fuel supply and reduction in U.S. dependence on imported
oil. “An increase in ethanol production would reduce demand for
imports, stimulate all sectors of the U.S. economy, bring needed jobs
to rural American and contribute to a ’greener’ way of
living,” he said.
Vaughan noted growing instability in the Middle East,
coupled with a national gas price of more than $2 per gallon make
speedy passage
of a comprehensive energy bill essential. “Ethanol blended with
gasoline would reduce the customer cost by extending supplies; it is
absolutely essential to pass a comprehensive energy legislation including
an RFS.”
NCGA continues to support regular contribution to the
SPR. “Continuing
to grow our emergency reserves is essential to ensuring our nation’s
energy security. Depleting reserves for the sake of a temporary price
fix not only puts that security at risk, but it is also poor public
policy. We don’t need a short-term fix. We need a long-term solution,” concluded
Vaughan.
The letter is available in its entirety 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 33,000 members,
25 affiliated state corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands
of growers who contribute to state checkoff programs.
|