Iowa Congressman Jim Nussle says ethanol-backers were able to defeat an attempt in Congress that would have allowed fuel refiners to quit making so many “boutique fuels” like ethanol. He says it was a big victory for ethanol.The issue came up during yesterday’s debate of a bill that backers believe will speed up the process of getting expansion permits for refineries.Nussle says the attempt is to boost capacity at existing refineries so the supply of gasoline will grow. Nussle says yesterday, an amendment was offered to that bill which would have limited the number of blends of “boutique fuels” like ethanol that refiners are required to make. Nussle says yesterday’s ethanol victory is just one in a recent string of public and behind-the-scenes battles against the oil industry that ethanol-backers have won.Nussle says he thinks there’s some momentum for ethanol, but there’s still work to be done to promote the use of ethanol, especially in the energy bill that’s languishing in Congress. Nussle calls yesterday’s bill that seeks to help refineries a short-term fix that’ll hopefully reduce gasoline prices by boosting the supply of gasoline in the U.S.
