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3 Minutes to Read In Windsor, Colorado, an ethanol facility with its massive corn silos stands close to a cornfield. 7th of July, 2006. Reuters/File Photo – According to copies of the proposals seen by Reuters, a bipartisan group of US Farm Belt congressmen will present a trio of bills on Tuesday aimed at expanding public investment in biofuels as the sector tries to counter a White House push for electric vehicles. The proposals, which include billions in grants and tax credits, might be swept up in larger infrastructure or spending bills currently circulating in Congress. Individual Democratic MPs are likely to utilize their slim majority in both houses to extract regional benefits from the bigger proposals. The biofuel sector is attempting to portray itself as a lower-carbon alternative to the future of electric vehicles. Biden is banking on a booming electric car sector to help him meet his 2050 goal of net-zero carbon emissions. One funding plan, co-sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Joni Ernst of Iowa, would provide $1 billion in subsidies to pay for pumps and storage tanks that use higher biofuel blends like corn ethanol in gasoline. A second bill filed by the two senators would provide automakers who make “flex fuel” vehicles, which can run on nearly any blend of gasoline or ethanol, a $200 per-car tax credit. “Diversifying our gasoline supply, bringing higher biofuel mixes to market, and ensuring merchants have the proper equipment to take advantage of these blends will promote clean energy and boost our rural economy,” Klobuchar said in a written statement to Reuters. The lawmakers’ intention was initially reported by Reuters on June 21. A third bill, co-sponsored by Klobuchar and Republican U.S. Senator John Thune of South Dakota, would provide a tax credit to fuel blenders and merchants such as gas stations for each gallon of fuel with a 15% or higher ethanol percentage. “Biofuels not only support a critical market for our farmers and strengthen American energy security, but they also provide a lower-carbon fuel for domestic use and export without the unresolved costs, labor issues, or resource constraints associated with the all-in push for vehicle electrification,” Thune said in a written statement. Jarrett Renshaw contributed reporting, while Heather Timmons and Christopher Cushing edited the piece. Continue reading

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