Ethanol mandate information. Phyllis Mains
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ENVIRONMENT &
ENERGY DAILY (portion)
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
5. ENERGY POLICY
House agriculture panel to weigh effect of ethanol mandate on
industry
Alex
Kaplun, E&E Daily reporter
As industry groups and Midwestern lawmakers begin to
press energy bill conferees to accept a higher ethanol mandate, the House
Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing this week to examine the influence of
renewable fuels on the domestic agriculture industry.
A spokeswoman for the committee said the
hearing will focus on the domestic production ramifications of an 8 billion
gallon renewable fuel standard, which is included in the Senate version of the
energy bill. With the House energy bill calling for the production of only 5
billion gallons of ethanol by 2012, the size of the RFS mandate is one of the
key issues that the energy conference must resolve in the next few
weeks.
Several members of
the Agriculture Committee -- including Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) -- last
month introduced a separate House bill calling for the 8 billion mandate and
have said they would try to use the legislation to put pressure on House leaders
to adopt the Senate's position.
And about two dozen agriculture and ethanol industry groups have
sent a letter to the conferees urging them to back the 8 billion gallon mandate.
The letter largely rehashes some of the arguments made by the industry in recent
months concerning increased ethanol production, such as reduction of both
foreign oil dependence and gasoline prices.
A similar letter was also sent to conferees this week
by the 31 members of the Governors' Ethanol Coalition. The governors asked
lawmakers to not only to adopt the 8 billion gallon standard but also to approve
a series of Senate incentives for biofuels development and
production.
Schedule: The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m on Thursday,
July 21, in 1300 Longworth.
Witnesses: A witness list has not been finalized but
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is expected to testify.
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