"The Rural Working Group's proposal includes practical solutions that will
expand ethanol and biodiesel production and will make sure that Americans
can find flex-fuel vehicles at auto dealerships and biofuels at local gas
stations," said Agriculture Committee Ranking Democrat Collin C. Peterson
(D-MN).
In the effort to energize America by letting the farmers fuel the nation's
new energy independence, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, said "The
answer is right here at home. From corn in the Midwest, to soybeans in
North Carolina, to sugar beets in Minnesota, we grow the crops that can be
converted into the biofuels that power our cars."
Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.), co-Chair of the Rural Working Group, suggests
investing in our own country, rather than abroad. "The answer to our fuel
crisis is growing in our fields. By investing in biofuels, we are not only
making energy more affordable, we are also investing in rural America.
Every dollar we invest in domestic biofuel production is a dollar that
stays in America and creates good-paying jobs. It's a win-win situation
for America."
Parts of Energizing America call for an increase of production in
American-made biofuels by doubling the percentage of renewable fuels sold
in America within six years, using biodiesel and cellulosic sources, such
as switchgrass. We should extend tax credits for ethanol and biodiesel
through 2015 and increase tax benefits to small ethanol producers.
The plan calls for increasing the percentage of "flex-fuel" vehicles that
run on ethanol or gasoline. It proposes that in seven years, make 75
percent of all cars made in America flex-fuel cars. It suggests increasing
the number of gas stations offering ethanol (E- 85) and biodiesel through
new incentives and requirements.
The plan also recommends investing in biofuels research to make biofuel
production more efficient and environmentally sound. It asks for
cutting-edge research to develop new processes for turning other farm
products, such as switchgrass and woodchips, into biofuels. And it urges
R&D in new vehicle efficient technologies.
In closing, the report calls for federal incentives to build smaller
ethanol and biofuel plants, to allow independent, locally owned facilities
that produce biofuels to thrive, thereby improving our rural communities.