Growth Energy Testifies before Michigan State House Committee in Support of Bill Boosting Biofuel Blends
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley testified before the Michigan State House Committee on Tax Policy in support of SB814, legislation that would establish a retailer tax incentive for higher ethanol blends, specifically a tax credit of $0. 05 per gallon on sales of E15 and $0.085 per gallon on sales of E85. SB814 was introduced by Sen. Kevin Daley.
“This credit is important as retailers in Michigan continue to build out the market and invest in additional infrastructure to install these ethanol blends,” testified Bliley. “Ethanol blends such as E15 and E85 provide environmental benefits, boost Michigan’s farmers and biofuel producers, and give consumers more affordable choices at the pump. With the summer’s high gas prices, we saw E15 sell for up to nearly a dollar less per gallon than regular gasoline and E85 at a discount of 2 to 3 dollars per gallon.”
“As noted, ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50 percent compared to gasoline and we continue to push toward net-zero emissions with readily available technologies. In fact, moving to E15 across the state would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 580,000 tons per year in Michigan alone.”
Read Bliley’s full testimony as prepared for delivery here.
Growth Energy members in Michigan include POET Biorefining – Caro, The Andersons – Albion, the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, NUVUFuels, One Ethanol, and Trucent. READ MORE
AG GROUPS SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF MICHIGAN BIOFUELS BILL (Brownfield Ag News; includes AUDIO)
Excerpt from Brownfield Ag News: Michigan Agri-Business Association President Chuck Lippstreu recently testified before the House Tax Policy Committee.
“Senate Bill 814 offers a tax incentive for fuel stations to carry E-15 and offer it to consumers,” he explains.
He tells Brownfield E-15 can be used in most all cars and light duty trucks built in the last 20 years and it provides up to 14 cents per gallon in savings at the pump.
“There are studies that have shown more than a half a billion dollars of economic benefits would be pumped into Michigan in terms of GDP increase, so this is a bipartisan bill for a reason,” he says.
Lippstreu says more than 2,700 fuels station in the Midwest offer higher ethanol blends like E-15, but there are only 10 in Michigan.
The bill offers qualifying retailers a tax credit for every gallon sold of higher ethanol blends, including $0.05 per gallon of E15 and $0.085 per gallon of E85.
The bill passed the Michigan Senate earlier this year and is also supported by the Michigan Corn Growers Association, Michigan Farmers Union, Clean Fuels Michigan, Michigan Farm Bureau, POET, Growth Energy, and others. READ MORE; includes AUDIO
