FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:
Mimi Ricketts, NCGA, 636-733-9004

NCGA Applauds House Introduction of Bipartisan RFS

ST. LOUIS (April 13, 2005) - The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) applauds the House of Representatives for introducing today bipartisan renewable fuels standard (RFS) legislation, requiring 8 billion gallons of renewable fuels be blended into the nation’s fuel supply annually by 2012.

“Today’s introduction of the Fuels Security Act of 2005 demonstrates that Congress recognizes the importance of domestic renewable fuels and the growing role they play in finding true solutions to decreasing our nation’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil,” said Gerald Tumbleson, NCGA first vice president and Minnesota grower.

The legislation was introduced by Reps. Tom Osborne (R-Neb.), Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), Steve King (R-Iowa) and Stephanie Herseth (D-S.D.); and is co-sponsored by Marion Berry (D-Ark.), Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Mark Kennedy (R-Minn.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), John McHugh (R-N.Y.), Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Leach (R-Iowa), Jim Ryun (R-Kan.), Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), Tom Latham (R-Iowa), Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), Julia Carson (D-Ind.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.).

“NCGA applauds Reps. Peterson, Osborne, King and Herseth for working so diligently to introduce a bipartisan bill that shows the importance of integrating renewable fuels in our nation’s transportation infrastructure is not a Republican or Democratic issue – it is a national issue,” Tumbleson added.

“In 2004, there were 82 operational ethanol plants that produced approximately 3.4 billion gallons of ethanol,” he said. “Looking at these numbers, you can see that the ethanol industry has and will continue to grow.”

The House RFS bill is the companion bill to the Senate bipartisan bill, S. 650, introduced March 17.

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