BIODIESEL BULLETIN A Monthly Newsletter of the National Biodiesel Board April 1, 2003
ð WASHINGTON UPDATE ð NORTH DAKOTA BLENDERS CREDIT SPRINTS TO FINISH LINE ð FORT LEONARD WOOD ARMY BASE SWITCHES TO B20 ð MINNESOTA ESTABLISHES BIODIESEL TASKFORCE ð NBB SUBMITS COMMENTS FOR BIODIESEL INCLUSION IN CALIF. RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD ð DELAWARE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES BIODIESEL PUMP OPENING ð NATIONAL BIODIESEL DAY UNDERSCORES ENERGY SECURITY NEEDS WASHINGTON UPDATE The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled consideration of energy tax legislation this Wednesday. The American Soybean Association (ASA) fully expects biodiesel provisions, including the partial excise tax exemption, to be included in the Chairman's mark and in possible amendments offered during the debate process. The House Ways and Means Committee is also addressing energy revenue issues this week. Biodiesel tax provisions will not be included in that package. Debate on energy policy issues will be considered by the appropriate House and Senate Committees before the Easter recess begins next Friday. We could see energy bill debate on the floors of the House and Senate in May. ASA is in the midst of its annual meeting in Washington this week, and biodiesel is a top priority. Farmer leaders are visiting their Congressional leaders all week to garner support for the tax incentive. NORTH DAKOTA BLENDERS CREDIT SPRINTS TO FINISH LINE Significant biodiesel legislation is on the verge of passing in North Dakota. House Bill 1309, sponsored by Rep. Pam Gulleson, will give a 10 percent income tax credit to biodiesel producers and blenders for plant or equipment costs. The bill also includes a 1.05 cent excise reduction on B2 when the state has at least eight million gallons of biodiesel production capacity. The bill passed the House and Senate with different language, and a Conference Committee is working on a final version. ãThe North Dakota legislative session ends April 28, so this is the final sprint,ä said Charles Hatcher, National Biodiesel Board regulatory director. ãWe urge residents of North Dakota to contact their state representatives immediately and ask for their support of this bill. A 10 percent income tax credit will be a huge incentive for more petroleum distributors to carry biodiesel in the state.ä FORT LEONARD WOOD ARMY BASE SWITCHES TO B20 Fort Leonard Wood, located in central Missouri, recently became the first army base in the nation to use both biodiesel and ethanol. The base plans on using about 115,000 gallons of B20 annually. At a dedication ceremony March 4, Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) praised Fort Leonard Wood for its decision to use biodiesel. ãWhere better to prove the use of renewable fuels by our military than at Fort Leonard Wood, in the Midwest, the backyard of our soybean producers,ä he said. ãOur Army leaders have the same concerns about energy supplies and the environment as all Americans do. I commend the commanders here at Fort Leonard Wood for their leadership.ä All four branches of the military use biodiesel in the US. MINNESOTA ESTABLISHES BIODIESEL TASKFORCE The Governor of Minnesota has announced the establishment of a nine-member Biodiesel Taskforce. In making the announcement with Governor Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Gene Hugoson said the taskforce will have the ability to be a key link in a successful transition to the widespread production and use of renewable diesel fuel in Minnesota. ãLegislation passed by the 2002 legislature requires that by July 1, 2005 all of the diesel fuel sold in Minnesota contain two percent biodiesel,ä Duncanson noted. ãBut in order for this requirement to take effect, there first must be an 8 million gallon production capacity in the state. The Biodiesel Taskforce will help promote and educate possible biodiesel developers, marketers, consumers and manufacturers.ä ãMSGA worked very hard to get the ball rolling on biodiesel use and production in Minnesota,ä said Kristin Weeks-Duncanson, President of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA). ãBy establishing this biodiesel taskforce, the administration has reinforced its commitment to domestic renewable fuels and to developing the biodiesel industry in Minnesota.ä NBB SUBMITS COMMENTS FOR BIODIESEL INCLUSION IN CALIF. RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD The National Biodiesel Board and other interested parties recently submitted comments to the California Energy Commission (CEC) in support of qualifying biodiesel as ãbiomass.ä If accepted, electricity generated from the use of biodiesel will be eligible to meet new regulations for increased renewable energy use in power production. The State of California enacted legislation last year establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Californiaâs RPS will require retail sellers of electricity to increase the renewable content of their energy deliveries by one percent per year over a baseline level as determined by the Public Utilities Commission. The annual incremental procurement is to continue until renewable energy comprises 20 percent of a retail sellerâs energy portfolio. The target deadline for achieving the 20 percent goal is December 31, 2017. Under the enacting legislation, the CEC is charged with certifying renewable energy resources. The CEC is in the process of addressing a number of definitional issues around the certification of incremental geothermal, small hydro, solid waste conversion, combustion of municipal solid waste, and biomass facilities. While biodiesel is not specifically referenced in the enacting legislation, the CEC is seriously considering biodieselâs qualification as ãbiomass.ä The CEC will release a Preliminary Draft Decision April 18. DELAWARE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES BIODIESEL PUMP OPENING Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced the opening of the first soy biodiesel (B20) public fueling station in the state on March 14. At a press event held at the Uncle Willieâs fueling station on U.S. Route 13 and Route 404, Governor Minner praised biodiesel as a fuel that can help Delaware improve air quality. ãI am here today to pledge my continued support for soy biodiesel fuel and the Delaware soybean growers, who have worked tirelessly to promote the benefits of the fuel for the state,ä she said. ãSoy biodiesel supports my Livable Delaware initiative and contributes to our ongoing efforts to improve the environment by improving air quality.ä Speaking on behalf of the Delaware Soybean Board, Martin Ross of Delmar said ãWe feel there is great potential to increase soy biodiesel use in Delaware. Several companies in the state market soy biodiesel blends to large fleets, including the Delaware Department of Transportation and Conectiv Power Delivery, but this station represents the first location to offer B20 for on-road fueling to the general public and the agriculture community.ä In addition to the Bridgeville location, two more Uncle Willieâs stations are expected to have soy biodiesel B20 available for sale beginning in April÷the Uncle Willieâs stations on U.S. Rt. 13 in Woodside and on U.S. Rt. 113 and Rt. 20 in Millsboro. A national map with retail fueling stations offering biodiesel is available at www.biodiesel.org. NATIONAL BIODIESEL DAY UNDERSCORES ENERGY SECURITY NEEDS On March 18, National Biodiesel Day took on special significance as conflict in the Middle East and climbing petroleum prices drew attention to the need for American made fuels. The biodiesel industry chose Rudolf Dieselâs birthday as National Biodiesel Day to honor him for his foresight in recognizing the valuable role of vegetable oil based fuel. He originally designed the diesel engine in the late 19th Century to run on peanut oil. Only later did petroleum become the standard. In a 1912 speech, Diesel said ãthe use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time.ä Dieselâs words are especially fitting at a time when petroleum imports are gaining increased attention. The United States consumes approximately 20 million barrels of oil a day, more than half of which is imported. The U.S. Department of Energy projects that by 2025, the U.S. will import close to 68 percent of all petroleum consumed. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Save Smiley. 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