The new Council will include Michael McAdams from the Advanced Biofuels Association; Brooke Coleman from the Advanced Ethanol Council; Mary Rosenthal from the Algal Biomass Organization; Brian Jennings from the American Coalition for Ethanol; Brent Erickson from the Biotechnology Industry Organization; Tom Buis from Growth Energy; Anne Steckel from the National Biodiesel Board; and Bob Dinneen from the Renewable Fuels Association.
The Renewable Fuel Standard sets a path for energy security, reduced reliance on foreign oil, and a cleaner, healthier environment by setting annual standards to increase production and use of biofuels in the United States, the group said in its inaugural press statement.
The members of the Council pledged support for maintaining this policy and continuing to achieve its goals.
Since adoption of the Renewable Fuel Standard, US production of bio-fuels has tripled and reliance on foreign oil has been cut by nearly one-third. The RFS is producing demonstrable results for U.S. energy security.
On a related note, the finance committee of the US Senate on Thursday passed a nipartisan tax package that includes an extension of the now-expired biodiesel tax incentive.
"This is a refreshing display of bipartisan cooperation to get this economy moving again, and we applaud Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Hatch for their leadership," said Steckel in her role as vice president of the National Biodiesel Board. "The biodiesel tax incentive is a proven job creator. Growth in our industry has been stagnant since the incentive expired on 31 December 2011. Reinstating it will get biodiesel producers across the country back to expanding their businesses and hiring new employees, as they were doing last year with the tax incentive in place."
"We call on the full Senate to quickly pass this package, and for the House to follow suit so that biodiesel producers can get the certainty they need to begin hiring again," she said.
The biodiesel tax incentive was first implemented in 2005 and also expired in 2010. After it was reinstated last year, the biodiesel industry grew rapidly and set a new production record of nearly 1.1 billion gallons, supporting more than 39,000 jobs across the country.
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