Reps. request continued Energy Title funding in House Farm Bill

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill
June 19, 2012

The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture is not expected to begin marking up its version of the 2012 Farm Bill until July, but some members of the House have already begun expressing their support for retaining Energy Title funding. In a letter sent to committee leaders on June 12, a bipartisan group of 12 representatives requested specifically that funding should be reauthorized for the Rural Energy for America Program, the Biomass Crop Assistance Program and the Biorefinery Assistance Program, noting that those three programs have already supported projects in every state and are playing a role in advancing agriculture-based energy.

“These programs often provide the means for entrepreneurs to launch new rural small businesses producing biofuels, wind power, solar, geothermal or many other technologies,” the representatives said in the letter. “The public sector investment leverages greater private sector investment, creating jobs based in America’s private sector.” The representatives added that overcoming the nation’s energy challenges will require “long-term and consistent commitment” and urged Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson to provide that reassurance by renewing core Energy Title programs.

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