Lugar Recognized for Support of Renewable Energy

Hoosier Ag Today
Posted on 30 April 2012 by Andy Eubank

The National 25x’25 Alliance Monday recognized Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar for his committed leadership in pursuing polices that accelerate the development of renewable energy resources on the nation’s farms, ranches and forestlands.

Last week, Sen. Lugar joined with Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) in drafting an amendment to the proposed 2012 Farm Bill adopted by the Senate Agriculture Committee that would continue mandatory funding for a number of critical farm energy programs.

By forging language in the Energy Title of the new farm bill that would assure funding is available for a initiatives such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Bioenergy Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), Lugar is encouraging the development of advanced biofuels and promoting other renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in rural America that will create new jobs and breath life back into the nation’s still struggling economy.

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Lugar Cautions U.S. Must Look Beyond Ethanol for Energy Independence

WIBC - Indianapolis, IN
By Eric Berman (eric@wibc.com)
9/16/2011

Senator notes corn-derived fuel has replaced just 6% of oil needs

Indiana Senator Richard Lugar warns the U-S needs to move beyond ethanol to more far-reaching steps toward energy independence.

Lugar told about 80 Indiana college students at his annual "energy summit" that Washington tends to lose interest in energy unless there's a crisis. Even Indiana's 13 ethanol plants, he says, came into being for rural economic development as much as for energy.

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Legislation Would Make Ethanol Available at More Pumping Stations

Hoosier Ag Today
08/09/2009

Legislation introduced by Senators Tom Harkin of Iowa and Richard Lugar of Indiana has received the endorsement of Growth Energy. The Consumer Fuels and Vehicles Choice Act is designed to give American drivers the choice of filling up on low-carbon fuel, like ethanol, by increasing the number of flex fuel vehicles and pumping stations available to consumers.

The act calls for: 50 percent of all automobiles manufactured for sale in the United States to be flex fuel capable by 2011; 90 percent of all automobiles manufactured for U.S. sale to be flex fuel capable by 2013; More blender pumps at retail fueling stations capable of dispensing blends of fuel that contain anywhere from 0 percent ethanol to 85 percent ethanol, and; Authorizing grants of up to 50 percent of the cost for installing blender pumps and tanks and other infrastructure needed for selling these fuel blends.

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Harkin, Lugar introduce ethanol pipeline measure

SouthwestFarmPress
Jul 24, 2008 9:56 AM, Farm Press Editorial Staff

Senators Tom Harkin of Iowa and Richard Lugar of Indiana have introduced legislation aimed at addressing one of the valid criticisms of ethanol production – the lack of an economical way to move the renewable fuel to major markets.

The legislation authored by Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Lugar, ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, would give pipeline owners the same tax benefits they receive for moving petroleum products for transferring ethanol to other parts of the country.

“While the Midwest and Plain states produce the most renewable fuels, the country is lacking the infrastructure to most efficiently transport these liquid fuels to population centers in the East and elsewhere,” the senators said in a press release. Most ethanol has to be shipped by truck or rail.

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