U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release March 23, 2005		CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600
SENATOR SALAZAR PUSHES ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL INITIATIVES Co-Sponsors Two Ethanol Bills To Bring Jobs To Rural Colorado And Environmental Benefits To All The People Of Colorado WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Ken Salazar today announced his co-sponsorship of legislation to promote the production of biodiesel and ethanol, both renewable fuel sources. S.650, the bi-partisan Fuels Security Act of 2005, sponsored by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), will double the current renewable fuel consumption in America from 3 percent to approximately 6 percent by 2012, or from 4 billion gallons per year in 2006 to 8 billion gallons per year by 2012. In Colorado there are already proposals for ethanol plants in Evans, Sterling and Windsor, and a biodiesel plant in Alamosa. Senator Salazar said, “I am proud to promote renewable fuels, they are part of our future especially in our rural communities where their production provides needed jobs and increased revenue. We owe it to our farmers, rural communities and the environment to increase production of these bio-fuels and lessen our dependence on foreign oil.” To aid the further expansion of ethanol production in Colorado, Senator Salazar is also a co-sponsor of S.610, another bi-partisan proposal that would expand eligibility for the Small Biofuel Production Facility tax credit, allowing small facilities to double their production capacity for ethanol and biodiesel plants from 30 million gallons of fuel annually to 60 million gallons. This will allow each of the planned ethanol and biodiesel plants in Colorado to be eligible for the Small Producer tax credit and will encourage further development in this budding industry. New ethanol plants mean new jobs and new economic activity in rural areas. On average, a new ethanol plant creates 41 new jobs, increases local corn prices by 5 – 10 cents per bushel and expands the local economic base of the community by more than 100 million dollars each year. # # #