Hawaii
Energy Policy Forum > 2003
Articles
Missouri Congressman Introduces Biodiesel Tax Incentive
Bill
U.S. Senate also introduces energy bill with significant
biodiesel measures
http://nbb.grassroots.com/NBBNewsRelease/Hulshof_Biodiesel/?lk=1385516
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-U.S. Congressman Kenny Hulshof (R-MO)
today introduced H.R. 1279, a bill that would provide
a partial federal excise tax exemption for diesel blended
with biodiesel, a cleaner burning fuel made from domestic
resources like soybean oil. The House Bill is similar to
a biodiesel tax provision found in S. 597, a
comprehensive energy bill introduced earlier this week by
Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Max Baucus (D-MT).
The incentive is critical to help break down barriers for
biodiesel in a highly competitive marketplace. It is similar
to a bill Hulshof introduced last year in an effort to show
strong House support for a biodiesel tax incentive provision
in last year's Senate Energy Bill. Congress ran out of time
before taking action on energy legislation.
Both the Hulshof bill and this year's Senate Energy Bill
would provide a one-cent reduction in the federal diesel
fuel excise tax for each percentage of biodiesel blended
with petroleum diesel up to 20 percent.
"Encouraging the use of biodiesel holds great promise," Hulshof
said. "
It opens new markets for agriculture, creates jobs in our
rural communities, reduces our dependence on foreign oil
and is friendly to the environment. My bill is meant to make
biodiesel's potential a reality."
Biodiesel's significant benefits to the environment, human
health, the economy and domestic energy security have earned
the fuel broad bipartisan support. Representative Hulshof
introduced this bill with the following cosponsors: Reps.
Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Ron Lewis (R-KY), Jerry Weller (R-IL),
Marion Berry (D-AR), John Shimkus (R-IL), Jim Ryun (R-KS),
Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Ike Skelton (D-MO),
Timothy Johnson (R-IL), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Dennis Rehberg
(R-MT), Jim Leach (R-IA), Wayne Gilcrest (R-MD), Robert Andrews
(D-NJ), Doug Bereuter (R-NE), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Ray
LaHood (R-IL), John Hostettler (R-IN), Jerry Costello (D-IL),
William Lipinski (D-IL) and Mark Kennedy (R-MN).
"One thing that makes this proposal unique is that
any cost to the Highway Trust Fund as a result of the biodiesel
tax incentive would be repaid from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation," said Joe
Jobe, executive director of the National Biodiesel Board. "The
fact that this is cost neutral to the US Treasury does not
even consider the enormous economic stimulus the incentive
will have on domestic job creation, rural and urban economic
development, and state and local tax revenues. Also, the
incentive will have an impact on displacing foreign petroleum,
the single largest component of our national trade deficit."
More than 300 major U.S. vehicle fleets already use the
cleaner-burning alternative fuel that works in any diesel
engine with few or no modifications. Biodiesel can be used
in pure form (B100), or blended with petroleum diesel at
any level. It offers similar fuel economy, horsepower and
torque to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel reduces emissions like
unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfates and particulate
matter. Soy biodiesel reduces lifecycle carbon dioxide by
78 percent. Biodiesel is also the only alternative fuel to
have completed the Health Effects testing requirements of
the Clean Air Act.
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