Senator says add biofuels to transportation bill or get rid of it altogether

August 3, 2019 |

In Washington, D.C., Senator Joni Erst, R-Iowa, and Senator Mike Rounds, R-SD, told the Roll Call that the surface transportation bill that would help pay for charging and refilling stations for zero- or low-emissions vehicles should also support more stations for biofuels like ethanol. And if doesn’t, then do away with the program entirely.

The bill would authorize $1 billion for new charging and fueling stations along highways for electric, hydrogen and natural gas powered vehicles, but leaves out biofuels.

Senator Ernst told Roll Call that the proposed bill would only help the wealthy who can afford electric vehicles and not help rural Americans who rely more on ethanol.

“Now, we’re going to have the federal government subsidize charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, which are owned in large part by high-earners in coastal states, while at the same time leaving our corn and soybean farmers and biofuel producers on the sidelines,” Ernst told Roll Call. “If all emissions-reducing fuels aren’t going to be treated equally by this program, then my preference is to do away with the program entirely.”

Category: Policy

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