Ethanol. Right. Now.

Fly-in participants represent the diversity and depth of the ethanol industry

The ethanol advocates who participated in the DC fly-in well represent the variety of the U.S. ethanol industry and its supporters.

Thirty ACE members came to Capitol Hill, representing 13 different states: Nebraska, Iowa, Virginia, North Dakota, Missouri, South Dakota, Idaho, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, and New Jersey.

The group included ethanol supporters from all areas of the industry: ethanol producers, farmers, investors, lenders, mid-range blend and flex-fuel advocates, and businesses that supply goods and services to the industry, such as engineering and laboratory companies.

Ethanol support runs deep, and the advocates who came to the Hill are a good representation of the Americans supporting ethanol because of its benefits to the economy, to agriculture, the environment, and to our energy security.

Senate Energy Committee staff speaks to ethanol group

Tara Billingsley, who serves as professional staff for the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, spoke to the American Coalition for Ethanol members gathered in DC for the "Biofuels Beltway March."  She works closely with Senate leadership on biofuels issues and told the group that they are "very engaged and motivated on the issue."

Billingsley feels that in the short-term, lower oil prices may in fact help the ethanol industry because those lower prices may begin to drive consumption. 

She also mentioned the issue of "indirect land use change" as a challenge we'll need to face.  Congress gave EPA a really difficult job in, she said, in having a short amount of time to craft rules on how this issue will be treated. 

Ethanol advocates are working hard to ensure that ethanol - and specifically corn-based ethanol - is treated fairly and the regulations are based upon sound science.

Grassroots Voices: Report from DC

Scott Parsley -- Madison, South Dakota

Today we had the opportunity to visit with those who support ethanol and have long fought the battles for a strong agricultural economy as well as energy independence. 

Senator John Thune continues to look for means by which to move the ethanol industry forward.  We also had the opportunity to visit with Congresswoman Fudge from Cleveland, Ohio who has no agriculture or ethanol in her district, and we hope we were able to provide information that will be useful to her as she has the opportunity to vote on ethanol issues. 

We have had the opportunity to tell our story and tell how urgent the ethanol issues are today, and that we must all act to save the industry now.

EPA Administrator speaks to ethanol group: "You're part of the solution"

Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), spoke to the group of 30 ethanol advocates gathered in DC.

"You're part of the solution," she said to the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) members.

Jackson spoke to the group for about 15 minutes, then shared question and answer time.

"We're trying to move to a different fuel mix in this country," Jackson said. "Corn-based ethanol is here, part of our mix now."

She spoke highly of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and his depth of understanding about ethanol-related issues.  EPA and USDA often work together on biofuels-related issues.

Jackson said she knows the blend wall issue is something we're very concerned about, and many of the questions from the group surrounded the blend wall and how it can be overcome - quickly.

ACE President interviewed on importance of trip to DC

Bob Scott, President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), was interviewed this morning prior to ACE's "Biofuels Beltway March." 

Check out this video clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAuStnyP3Lo

Advocates go to Capitol Hill for ethanol

Grassroots ethanol advocates from across the country are gathering today and tomorrow in Washington, DC to take their message to Members of Congress and the Administration. 

This blog will be updated live from the event, so check back often or sign up for the live feed.  Also visit www.ethanol.org and click on the "Get Involved" tab for more details on the event and its participants.

The snow storm has put a kink in some travel plans, but has not dampened the spirit of the ethanol supporters who have traveled to the nation's capital for this important event hosted by the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). ACE is the nation's largest ethanol advocacy association, with 1500 members nationwide - farmers, ethanol producers, businesses that supply goods and services, ag associations, renewable energy advocates.