(February 16, 2011)  Washington – The newly formed Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) today urged lawmakers to vote ‘no’ on numerous amendments to the House Continuing Resolution (CR) that would limit the marketplace for ethanol and slow the commercialization of advanced ethanol technologies.

“We urge lawmakers to make clear that America’s energy strategy is focused on the future and not the technologies of the past,” said AEC Chair and Mascoma Chief Executive Officer Bill Brady. “Advanced ethanol companies strongly oppose efforts to further constrict the market for ethanol and deny much-needed government partnerships to bring our technologies to commercialization.”

Specifically, the AEC is urging no votes on:

• Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) amendment (No. 300) that blocks funds under the Department of Energy for biomass and biorefinery systems in addition to striking provisions in the CR which would limit funding for DOEs Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program which advanced ethanol companies eye as critical to building facilities in the near term .

• Rep. John Sullivan's (R-OK) amendment (No. 94) to bar funds in the CR from being used to implement EPA's E15 partial waiver ruling. There remain some federal regulatory issues, including labeling concerns, that must be addressed.

• Rep. Jeff Flake's (R-AZ) two amendments (No. 377 and No. 253) that would prevent CR funds from directly or indirectly supporting the installation of ethanol infrastructure such as blender pumps.

Additionally, the AEC urges members of Congress to remove language in the CR that would defund administrative efforts to implement the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The AEC fully supports an amendment by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) that would reinforce the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to implement the RFS.

“The RFS is as important, if not more important, to advanced ethanol companies as it is to current ethanol producers,” said Brady. “Ethanol is one part of our nation’s solution to the energy challenges we face. Now is not the time to turn back the clock on the energy, environmental and economic progress this industry has made.”

The AEC represents the leading voices in the advanced ethanol industry. In conjunction with the Renewable Fuels Association, the AEC is focused on developing and implementing responsible policies that accelerate the commercialization of advanced ethanol technologies and expands the market for ethanol use. AEC members will work collaboratively with the RFA Board of Directors, including having representation on that Board. All members of the RFA recognize that for this industry to be successful in the long term we must grow to include all technologies and feedstocks for ethanol production.

The founding members of the AEC are: Abengoa Bioenergy, BlueFire Renewables, Coskata, Enerkem, Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inbicon, Iogen, Mascoma, Osage Bio Energy and Qteros.