State law to Double Mandatory Ethanol Requirement

The bill's authors are Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston) and Senator Dallas Sams (DFL-Staples). The Senate passed the measure 54-12 and the House followed suit last week, passing the bill by a margin of 91-43. The separate versions were reconciled in a conference committee; the Senate passed the compromise version on Wednesday, and the House did so on Thursday. The legislation, now on its way to the Governor's desk.

Minnesota was the first state in the nation to require the use of 10 percent ethanol and has done so for nearly a decade. Last year Hawaii enacted a similar measure, and Montana's E10 requirement, passed by its legislature this session, will be signed by Governor Brian Schweitzer tomorrow.

"This historic move to a twenty percent ethanol blend sets a tremendous example for the rest of the nation," said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). "In addition to encouraging other states to consider their own renewable fuels measures, we urge Congress to take action on a nationwide Renewable Fuels Standard that calls for at least eight billion gallons of ethanol use annually."

The U.S. currently has the capacity to produce nearly 3.7 billion gallons of ethanol annually at 85 ethanol plants. The nation consumes more than 140 billion gallons of gasoline each year.