On the heels of President Bush’s call for more alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, Missouri’s legislature is considering a five percent biodiesel standard at every gas station in the state. The State Senate Agriculture, Conservation, Parks and Natural Resources Committee has heard testimony on a bill that would require all diesel sold in Missouri to have at least five percent biodiesel. Check out this story from the Columbia Missourian:

“We want to show biodiesel as a legitimate fuel source,” said Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Marshall, who sponsored the bill.

The committee is set to vote on the bill Tuesday. If approved, the bill would be added to the agenda and debated on the Senate floor. If it’s voted down, a different version of the same bill will be sponsored in the House of Representatives.

Soybean growers are praising the legislation, but petroleum marketers have already lined up in opposition.

Ronald Leone, executive director of the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, is fearful truck drivers will not stop in Missouri to fill up because of the proposed standard. They may refuse to buy biodiesel because they don’t trust the reputation of the fuel, he said. Many truckers travel on Interstate 70 between Kansas City and St. Louis, both of which border states that do not have a biodiesel standard.

Missouri already has a 10 percent ethanol standard.