House Committee Votes Down State Agency Ethanol Mandate
Air Date:01/24/2012
For the fourth straight year, a measure to require state agencies to buy ethanol-blended fuel for any bulk purchases will not advance. Representative Mitch Fargen, who serves as Rural Development Director for the South Dakota Farmers' Union, brought the bill to the House Transportation Committee.
Fargen said, "this bill, I believe, sends a message for our government to tell other states. I know when Governor Daugaard says he wants to make a bully pulpit and promote South Dakota-this is one bill he can go around and promote South Dakota and promote South Dakota's fuel to other states, and to the federal government. It shows that South Dakota backs ethanol, and we're trying to be energy independent of other nations, and from other states."
An official with the Bureau of Administration criticized the measure, saying state government already has increased its ethanol purchases-from 11 percent to a current mark of 77 percent. The Transportation Committee deferred the bill to the 41st Day.
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