Coalition Statement on Ethanol Subsidy Deal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Brendan McLaughlin, Resource Media, 206-374-7795, ext. 108
Kelly Trout, Friends of the Earth, 202-222-0722, [email protected]
Coalition Statement on Ethanol Subsidy “Deal”
Today, Senator Feinstein announced a deal with Senators Klobuchar and Thune to end the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and the tariff on imported ethanol. VEETC provides ethanol blenders with $0.45 for each gallon of ethanol blended into gasoline and is due to cost $6 billion dollars this year. Recently, 73 senators voted to end this credit by July 1st.
The deal between Senators Feinstein, Klobuchar and Thune also includes a three-year extension of the cellulosic production tax credit, a three-year extension of tax credits for ethanol and alternative energy fueling infrastructure, and a one-year extension of the small producers’ tax credit.
A coalition of diverse interests opposed to ethanol subsidies issued the following statement in response:
“We appreciate Sen. Feinstein’s tireless work on this important issue and continue to support an immediate end to ethanol subsidies. We are encouraged that the agreement ends the existing ethanol tax credit for conventional ethanol; however, we are concerned about provisions that expand support for ethanol infrastructure. Our goal has always been to eliminate all subsidies for conventional ethanol, and we will continue to work to ensure their end.”
ActionAid USA
American Frozen Food Institute
American Meat Institute
Americans for Prosperity
Clean Air Task Force
Clean Water Action
Dairy Producers of Utah
Environmental Working Group
Friends of the Earth
Milk Producers Council
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Chicken Council
National Meat Association
National Restaurant Association
National Turkey Federation
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
Oxfam America
Southeast Milk Inc.
Taxpayers for Common Sense