America’s National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is calling the U.S.
Senate approval of S. 517 — the comprehensive energy package,
including a renewable fuel standard (RFS), by a vote of 88 to 11 — “an
unprecedented, historic move.”
“This is a clear victory for farmers and renewable fuels
advocates. When the time came to count votes, renewable fuels were, time
and again, able to show the strong support they have in the U.S.
Senate,” according to NCGA.
S. 517 provisions require refiners to use 2.3 billion gallons of
renewable fuels, such as ethanol, in 2004 and increase that to 5
billion gallons by 2012.
Key elements of S. 517 include the renewable fuel standard,
eliminating the reformulated gasoline (RFG) oxygen requirement, banning
MTBE additives in four years, creating a renewable credit trading
system, and protecting the environmental performance of RFG.
