More than 60 grassroots members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) are on Capitol Hill this week for the “Biofuels Beltway March” annual fly-in.

The ethanol advocates were greeted on Tuesday by U.S. Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and John Thune (R-SD) and they have nearly 200 meetings scheduled with Congressional representatives and staff over the course of two days to share ethanol information to lawmakers representing 47 states. The group’s priorities include highlighting the effectiveness of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), emphasizing how ethanol helps lower prices at the pump, the safety and affordability of E15 ethanol blends, and other issues such as oil subsidies and the clean octane value of ethanol.

“With gasoline prices and energy issues taking center stage in the national discussion recently, I can’t think of a better time our grassroots members to make the case for how ethanol is part of the solution to moderating pump prices and reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE.

Fly-in participants come from 13 different states, and represent a diverse group of ethanol plants and other companies with an interest in agriculture and the biofuels industry.

For members who are not able to be a part of the DC fly-in, ACE has for the second year organized a “Virtual Fly-In,” which makes it possible for ethanol supporters to send email messages to Members of Congress to coincide with the group’s face-to-face meeting. The messages urge Congress to continue to keep the Renewable Fuels Standard intact. Messages may be sent this week through ACE’s Legislative Action Center at www.capwiz.com/ethanol.