US Senate includes biodiesel provisions in Energy Bill

As reported by the National Biodiesel Board

On Thursday, December 13, 2007, the U.S. Senate approved H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, by a bipartisan 86-8 margin. The creation of a specific renewable requirement in the nation’s 60 billion gallon pool of diesel fuel has been a top priority for the U.S. biodiesel industry. H.R. 6 as approved by the Senate establishes this renewable requirement that will increase the domestic use of "biomass-based diesel" – including biodiesel – from 500 million gallons in 2009 to 1 billion gallons in 2012. View a summary of the expanded RFS proposal included in H.R. 6.

H.R. 6 will now be forwarded to the U.S. House for further consideration. In a statement issued on December 13, 2007, the White House Press Secretary indicated that if H.R. 6 as passed by the Senate is approved by the House and sent to the President, he will sign it into law. Read the White House statement. There is a high likelihood that the House will consider the measure during the week of December 17, 2007.



UPDATE!

Senate Passes Weaker Energy Bill
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: December 14, 2007

WASHINGTON — Pared-down energy legislation cleared the Senate on Thursday by a wide margin after the oil industry and utilities succeeded in stripping out provisions that would have cost them billions of dollars.

The legislation still contains a landmark increase in fuel-economy standards for vehicles and a huge boost for alternative fuels. But a $13 billion tax increase on oil companies and a requirement that utilities nationwide produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources were left on the floor to secure Republican votes for the package.

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