Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said they will seek to include incentives in the Senate transportation package (S 2302) approved this week by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
A provision in the bill that would help pay for charging and refilling stations for zero- or low-emissions vehicles needs to be expanded, the lawmakers said, so that it provides benefits for rural areas.
“If all emissions-reducing fuels aren't going to be treated equally by this program, then my preference is to do away with the program entirely,” Ernst said before the panel passed the package. However, Ernst did not offer an amendment to accomplish such a shift.
Ernst and Rounds indicate they will seek to attach a provision to the package during floor consideration that would include providing benefits for refilling stations for fuels like E15 and E85 along with other advanced biofuels.
However, there remains several hurdles in their effort. First is finding enough support for the plan and to overcome what could be a hurdle in the form of Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo.
Welcome
