The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is urging Congress to “include an extension of the expiring tax incentives for ethanol in any legislative package designed to promote green job growth and economic revitalization.”
In a letter sent to the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, RFA encouraged the lawmakers to adopt the provisions of the Renewable Fuels Reinvestment Act that would extend through 2015 four key tax incentives for the production and use of ethanol from all feedstocks.
As the letter notes, “Ethanol has been an extremely useful weapon in the fight for energy independence and our efforts to promote more clean and renewable alternatives to imported petroleum based fuels.” The letter highlights the nearly 400,000 jobs ethanol has helped support, the reduction in oil imports by 364 million barrels in 2009, and the savings of approximately 10 cents per gallon of ethanol-blended fuel.
Specifically, the letter showcases the excitement generated by the opening of the Osage Bio Energy ethanol biorefinery in Hopewell, Virginia. According to company sources, more than 1,200 applications were received to fill the 43 full-time positions with the plant. Of the 43 people hired, roughly half were unemployed at the time of the job offer.