WASHINGTON -- On the first day of the new Congress, Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) introduced legislation that will increase American drivers' access to ethanol at fuel pumps.
Currently, the United States imports more than 60% of its oil, and consumption continues to increasefurther subjecting consumers to the whims of the world oil market, they said. More than 60% of the world's oil reserves are held in the Middle East, handcuffing our foreign [image-nocss] policy, they added.
American drivers can help reverse oil dependence by filling up with ethanol blends like E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gas) or biodiesel, they recommended. Increasing the use of ethanol will reduce oil consumption and give the country an environmentally friendly, domestically produced source of fuel.
Harkin, Lugar, Biden, Dorgan and Obama offered legislation, titled the BioFuels Security Act, to increase renewable fuels use through higher renewable fuels standards (RFS), greater availability of ethanol pumps and increased production of cars equipped to run on alternative fuel sources.
For too long, we've depended on importing oil to meet our energy needs, Harkin said. This legislation lays the roadmap to a long-term ramp-up in domestically produced renewable fuels. I believe if we are to attain national and economic security for our nation, we can and we must achieve these aggressive goals.
Biden said, If it was not clear before, it is now: domestic energy policy is at the center of our foreign policy. For our own securityboth nationally and globallywe have to begin the transition to alternative fuels. We can't do that without upgrading to a better system that combines protection for U.S. automobile manufacturing jobs with increased use of alternative, home-grown fuels. We have no choice but to get smarter with our energy policy.
Added Dorgan. This increase in ethanol production will expand job growth in the U.S.
Claiming that current efforts have lacked political will, Obama said, The Renewable Fuels Standard is one of the most significant steps taken by Congress to increase ethanol production and decrease our nation's dangerous dependence on foreign oil. We should build off this success by increasing ethanol production, consumer access to renewable fuels, and the production of cars and trucks that can use them. It's time for Congress to realize what farmers in America's heartland have known all alongthat we have the capacity and ingenuity to decrease our dependence on foreign oil by growing our own fuel.
Specifically, the bill:
Proposes a new renewable fuels standard (RFS) that calls for 60 billion gallons of ethanol and biodiesel to be included in the U.S. motor vehicle fuel supply annually by the year 2030 by boosting ethanol and biodiesel production to 30 billion gallons annually by 2020, and then doubling that quantity over the following 10 years to 60 billion gallons by 2030. Calls for increasing the number of gasoline stations that carry blends of 85% ethanol (E85). The bill would require large oil companies to install E85 pumps at their stations, increasing by five percentage points annually over the next 10 years, resulting in approximately 50% of all major-brand gas stations nationwide having E85 pumps available within a decade. Directs automakers to gradually increase flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) production, increasing in 10 percentage-point increments annually, until nearly all vehicles sold in the United States are FFVs within 10 years. Currently, FFVsthose able to use both regular gasoline and blends of up to 85% ethanolmake up only about 2% of vehicles on the road.Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol, praised the legislation and said, Now is the time for bold policies to help increase the availability of homegrown and renewable alternatives to oil. The bipartisan leadership of these two long-time ethanol champions is setting the stage for the new Congress to confront America's energy crisis in a direct, yet sensible way by dramatically increasing the availability of ethanol. We are hopeful that Congress will enact this bill.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.