2 percent biodiesel requirement fails in Senate

BOISE – Legislation to require all diesel fuel sold in Idaho to be at least 2 percent biodiesel failed in the Senate Monday in a lopsided 11-23 vote.

“That is another mandate – I don’t like mandates; I like incentives,” said Sen. Dick Compton, R-Coeur d’Alene. Compton joined every other North Idaho senator except the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, in voting against the bill.

Compton noted there already is a substantial federal subsidy for biodiesel.

Earlier, the Senate had passed legislation to require all gasoline sold in Idaho to be at least 10 percent ethanol once Idaho ethanol production has reached a certain level. But that measure was killed in a House committee, where members said more study is needed.

Schroeder said farmers in his district produce canola, rapeseed and similar crops that can be used to create biodiesel. Under his bill, Senate Bill 1393, the 2 percent requirement would have taken effect only after the state Agriculture Department had certified that Idaho’s biodiesel production had reached 4 million gallons a year.

“Currently, we have farmers who are pressing biodiesel fuel for their own use,” Schroeder said. “We’re not going to have any problem meeting that standard.”

Schroeder told the Senate that approving the bill would be a step toward energy independence for Idaho and the nation.

“The president of the United States has issued the call,” he said. “The energy security of this nation is intertwined with our military and economic security.”

Schroeder said dependence on foreign oil has the country “over a barrel, and the question is whether you want to do something about it or not.”

Minnesota has imposed a similar mandate, Schroeder said.

He said crops such as canola grown on the Palouse make the best biodiesel. “It is a clean-burning alternative fuel produced from renewable resources,” he said.

Opponents, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said the mandate would be premature.

Compton said that if biodiesel is a good product, the market will welcome it without a mandate.