Senate Hammers Ethanol Message Home

April 26, 2002

The U.S. Senate voted twice Thursday to maintain the renewable fuels standard (RFS) provisions of the energy bill. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) declared the Senate action the final RFS victory for the Senate and expressed hope that the entire Senate energy bill would be passed quickly.

By a vote of 59 to 40, the Senate defeated an amendment by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) which would have delayed implementation of the RFS by one year until 2005. Finally, by a vote of 57 to 42, the Senate defeated an amendment by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) which would have removed some legal protections for oil refiners complying with the RFS by using renewable fuels.

The RFS provisions are backed by a coalition including members of the oil industry, agricultural groups, environmental and public health groups, and the ethanol industry. The amendments were offered during debate on S. 517, the Senate energy bill. If passed, the Senate energy bill would go to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the bills.