In the last month, our efforts to establish a robust national standard for ethanol and biodiesel cleared two significant hurdles. In the Energy Committee, Senator Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and I successfully added an amendment to add 8 billion gallons of renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to the nation’s fuel supply by 2012. The full Senate overwhelmingly approved our amendment by a 70-26 vote. It is the largest Renewable Fuels Standard ever considered by the Congress.

The amendment we passed would create a phase-in for renewable fuel volumes over 7 years, beginning with 4 billion gallons by 2006 and ending at 8 billion gallons in 2012. It also provides that the renewable fuels requirement in 2013 and after will be no less than the renewable fuels percentage in 2012.

I’ve said renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel are at the crux of economic growth and jobs; at the crux of energy security; at the crux of consumer benefits; at the crux of environmental quality; and at the crux of value-added agriculture for our producers.

It is estimated that the Renewable Fuels Standard will help create more than 230,000 new jobs in every sector of the economy.

The Renewable Fuels Standard will also help lower prices at the pump over the long term. As Business Week recently reported, ?since the start of the year, the wholesale price of ethanol has fallen more than 20 percent, to around $1.20 a gallon, while black gold is soaring to record highs.?

Currently, one gallon of ethanol is less expensive than one gallon of petroleum gasoline. When ethanol and biodiesel are blended with petroleum gasoline, they add volume to imported fuels which will make us less dependent on foreign oil. All of this will result in lower prices at the pump over the long term for Missourians.

The Renewable Fuels Standard we passed in the Senate reflects the growth that has occurred in the industry over the last four years while the Energy bill stalled in Congress.

The House passed a significantly smaller Renewable Fuels Standard which is an issue we need to resolve when the two bills are reconciled by a Senate and House conference committee. Those of us who have fought for the 8 billion gallon standard are prepared to do whatever is necessary to get the largest standard possible passed into law.

In the meantime, the Senate should pass a pro-growth, pro-jobs Energy bill that reduces our dependence on foreign oil and improves our energy infrastructure. A comprehensive Energy bill is long overdue and a robust Renewable Fuels Standard should be part of it.

Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) serves on both the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Energy Committee was elected to serve Missouri in the U.S. Senate in November 2002. Previously he served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1993-2001) and the Missouri House (1985-1992).