Of course, flex-fuel vehicles will only be successful if there is greater access to higher ethanol fuel blends. Making higher blends of ethanol available to a broader market will require more fueling stations with blender pumps. Congress is again in a position to expand incentives for gas station owners to increase the overall availability of higher blends. Greater production of flex-fuel vehicles will result in higher demand for higher blends, and stations and ethanol producers must be ready to meet that need. While we have made great strides with increasing the number of stations that offer higher blends, this amounts to less than two percent of all refueling stations nationwide.

While the market for higher blends and flex-fuel vehicles is important for our overall long-term strategy, the greatest near-term priority is moving to an intermediate blend of ethanol for conventional on-road vehicles. The success of E10 should not be understated since it accounts for the overwhelming majority of ethanol use, but there is no reason to hold back the use of blends as high as E15 or E20 in conventional vehicles. Numerous studies have shown that conventional engines run well on E15, but the approval of E15 hinges upon the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Without question, ethanol has earned a place in our nation’s overall energy strategy. It uses domestically produced resources, creates jobs throughout the United States, and reduces the amount of oil we have to import from other, sometimes hostile, nations. However, Congress must address the infrastructure challenges and expand the market for domestically produced renewable fuel. Only then will American made biofuel compete on a level playing field with (imported) oil.

We shouldn't go backwards on our energy diversification.. instead we should press forward on E30 and growing ur donestic ethanol market share as well as exports.

We may have to roll up our sleeves.. she may get a chilly reception during confirmation.