‘Hold Your Nose’: Some Dems Reluctantly Back Ethanol Bill
by George Cahlink (E&E News/Politico Pro) Some House Democrats say they’ll vote for the bill as part of an inflation-fighting package to help vulnerable members — but they won’t like it. — Some House Democrats have major concerns with pro-ethanol legislation, due on the floor this week, and will only reluctantly back it as part of their party’s broader anti-inflationary push.
The is expected to vote on legislation, H.R. 7606, that would combine several biofuel, conservation and supply chain bills into a single package aimed at bolstering the economy.
It contains provisions to permit sales of higher-grade ethanol year-round and provide dollars for more biofuel blending equipment to help lower record gas prices (E&E Daily, June 14).
“Hold your nose” and vote, said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) a senior Natural Resources member yesterday, who has been one of the House’s leading voices in calling for a transition to clean energy.
Huffman said he’s “not happy at all” with the provisions on ethanol, which he says has been “oversold as a clean energy.” But, he said, he’s backing it to help vulnerable House Democrats this cycle who need it to show voters they favor action on gas prices and more broadly inflation. READ MORE
House to vote on biofuel infrastructure, E15 bill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)
‘Political gotcha’: Lawmakers spar over food, fuel package: The package is part of a Democratic effort in the House to lower rising food and fuel costs. (E&E News/Politico Pro)
U.S. HOUSE TO VOTE ON LOWER FOOD AND FUEL COST ACT THURSDAY EVENING (Brownfield Ag News)
Excerpt from Ethanol Producer Magazine: The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the Lower Food and Fuels Costs Act, a legislative package that includes funding for biofuel infrastructure and a provision to allow year-round sales of E15.
The bill, H.R. 7606, authorizes $200 million for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to support biofuel infrastructure upgrades. The funding would be distributed in the form of competitive grants to support the installation, retrofit, or upgrade of fuel dispensers and pumps and related equipment, storage tank system components, and other infrastructure needed at a fuel station to supply fuel blends that contain more than 10 percent ethanol or 20 percent biodiesel.
The infrastructure funding could also support biofuel infrastructure for fuel distribution systems, terminal upgrades, including rail lines, and home heating oil distribution centers.
In addition, the legislation would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to fuel blends containing more than 10 percent ethanol, including E15, creating a permanent legislative fix for year-round E15 sales in 2023 and beyond. The Biden administration on April 29 issued an emergency waiver allowing E15 sales to continue during the summer 2022 driving season in an effort to bring down high fuel prices. That waiver, however, applies to the summer 2022 driving season only.
The House Committee on Rules was scheduled to address H.R. 7606 during a Jan. 13 meeting. Additional information is available on the committee website. READ MORE
