Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - June 13, 2007)

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Carper, Mr. Lugar, and Mr. Obama):

S. 1616. A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to promote and assure the quality of biodiesel fuel, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that would create a Federal biodiesel mandate and improve the quality and labeling of this product.

Biodiesel fuel holds great promise to help move the United States toward energy independence. It is created by converting soybean oil, animal fats, and yellow grease and other feed stocks into transportation fuel.

Compared to petrol diesel, biodiesel burns much more cleanly. Production of biodiesel creates jobs in rural areas and makes farming more profitable. The carbon footprint of biodiesel also is superior to petrol diesel. Cars and trucks fueled by biodiesel produce fewer unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter.

The biodiesel industry is young but growing, and its growth is driven by the rising cost of oil and a growing awareness of the need to move toward energy independence. In 2005, the United States produced 75 million gallons of biodiesel. That number more than tripled in 2006, when the United States produced 250 million gallons of biodiesel.

By the end of this year, we expect capacity to increase to more than 1 billion gallons. More than 140 plants already produce biodiesel, and more are moving to production soon. Biodiesel fuel plants can be found all across the country, from the Corn Belt and Great Plains to the Pacific Northwest and the Mid-Atlantic.

The bipartisan bill I am introducing today with Senators Grassley, Carper, Lugar, and Obama is a modest attempt to take advantage of this potential capacity and to reduce the amount of petroleum used in the 60-billion-gallon diesel fuel pool. Under this bill, over the next 5 years, the United States would blend 450 million gallons of biodiesel into diesel fuel in 2008, 625 million gallons in 2009, 800 million gallons in 2010, 1 billion gallons in 2011, and 1.25 billion gallons in 2012.

This mandate would create an incentive for the production and consumption of biodiesel and give this infant industry some market guarantees to help it achieve stability and maturity.

Many States already are moving in the direction of biodiesel mandates. My home State of Illinois has offered a biodiesel tax incentive since 2003 that has increased demand for the product, and Minnesota has had a 2-percent biodiesel mandate since 2005.

This is an environmentally friendly, home-grown fuel, and we should embrace its use. I thank Senators Grassley, Carper, Lugar, and Obama for their early support and urge others in the Senate to cosponsor our legislation.

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