First step in the policy challenge 0f 2010

March 29, 2010

BY Susanne Retka Schill

The policy story of the year officially launched this past week. Extending the ethanol tax credit has non partisan support from 27 cosponsors in a House bill introduced March 25. EPM associate editor Holly Jessen reported on developments in our lead news story of the week.

While it's welcome news to have it on the table, it's only the first step in what may be a long, drawn out struggle if the biodiesel situation is any indicator. The House passed a biodiesel extension well in advance of the year-end expiration, but the companion bill in the Senate was siderailed by the fight over health care legislation. Supporters are trying to amend it to the jobs bill, but it was cut from the first legislation signed by the president. It's in another jobs bill in the Senate that is not likely to be dealt with until after the Easter break.

So while it is noteworthy that a multi-year extension of VEETC has been introduced, the bipartisan support in the House may be no indicator of similar support in the Senate. Or, even if it gets that support, that the craziness of politics won't derail this legislation. It isn't just Republicans vs Democrats, either. I was surprised to read about the rancor between House and Senate members in some of the reports on the health care debate. One pundit even expressed amazement that Democratic senators and legislators were giving each other hugs at the celebratory signing ceremony for the health care legislation. Not a good sign.

Also, the opposition to ethanol and tax credits has yet to pick up steam, but undoubtedly will. What has picked up is the number of reports analyzing the tax credits' impact on ethanol and how that relates to the larger economic picture. They are interesting reports, but as we all know, there's no guarantee that the supportive picture they paint won't be preempted by a well-conceived campaign from ethanol's detractors.

I know from experience that when the debate gets rolling, all of this gets so complicated that one's eyes glaze over and the mind goes numb. Gaining a mastery of the arguments is a challenge. But what every ethanol plant employee, from top management on down, has a mastery of is how their plant works and what its impact is on their community.

Invite your Congressmen (and/or their staffs) to visit your plant. Give them a tour, have them meet your directors, have them meet the farmers who supply your plant. Give them the personal experience that gives them concrete evidence of what ethanol means. Let them ask questions. Give them the facts, and offer your opinions. Even if they are opponents of ethanol, ask them to come and see for themselves and ask their questions directly. You might not change their minds on the first visit, but establishing a relationship is the first step in moderating their opposition.

If you give this a try, we'd love to hear about it, and possibly write an article about what one or two ethanol plants experienced when inviting their Congressmen, or the ethanol opposition, to tour and talk.


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