Story Published:
Apr 29, 2008 at 3:31 PM CST
Story Updated:
Apr 29, 2008 at 3:31 PM CST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- With the price of a gallon of diesel fuel jumping $1.20 over the last year, some state lawmakers are looking for ways to soften the blow for truckers. One idea is mandating that five percent of all diesel fuel contain biodiesel. A legislative committee held a hearing on that idea Tuesday morning.
The proposal to mandate biodiesel comes on the heels of a bill to repeal the ethanol mandate for gasoline. There's a big argument over whether a mandate is the best way to go for either fuel.
Tuesday morning, various agricultural interests testified in favor of the biodiesel mandate, including soybean interests, because that's the oil used in biodiesel. They argue a mandate would break the hold that oil companies have on the market, and provide a cleaner fuel.
The oil companies argue that biodiesel has already proven not to be cheaper, and that there are too many unknowns.
The Senate has passed this mandate. It's now in the House Transportation Committee, which will take it up again next week. It’s hard to say whether it will make to the floor for a vote.
