MARION, Ohio – Growth Energy, the coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters, today issued the following statement after Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited a Growth Energy-member ethanol plant in Marion, Ohio and showed his continuing support for renewable fuels as a means to revitalize rural America.
Vilsack’s visit follows an April visit by President Obama to a Growth Energy member plant in Macon, Mo., during his ‘White House to Main Street’ tour. Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis noted that the Administration’s support of domestic ethanol will help create jobs in our local communities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce our nation’s addiction to foreign oil.
“Both President Obama and Secretary Vilsack have seen firsthand the role that domestic ethanol can play in making our nation more energy independent, rebuilding our economy and creating U.S. jobs,” said Buis. “We appreciate the support of the White House and key members of President Obama’s cabinet. We have a great opportunity with domestic ethanol, and the leadership of Secretary Vilsack and President Obama is critical if we’re going to see a cleaner, brighter and more secure future for our children.”
While touring the POET Biorefining-Marion plant, Secretary Vilsack publicly said he saw the need for increasing the number of blender pumps available to distribute ethanol, and the number of Flex fuel Vehicles on the road. Both of those objectives are components of Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom plan to redirect funds currently used to pay for the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) toward infrastructure investments that will create competition in the fuels market and give consumers true freedom to choose their fuel.
“The Fueling Freedom plan would build out the infrastructure in the United States to create a path that leads to a genuinely free market – an open market where consumers can choose between gasoline and renewable, homegrown ethanol. We thank Secretary Vilsack for his continuing support and for his efforts to ensure a cleaner, more secure energy future for America,” Buis added.
To learn more about the Growth Energy Fueling Freedom Plan visit www.growthenergy.org/fuelingfreedom
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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.