The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is reporting on their website that key officials within the Obama Administration have told Senator Chuck Grassley that the administration supports what some consider a controversial ethanol tariff.NASDA reports that in a letter in response to Senator Grassley's concerns over the Administration's nominee to be ambassador to Brazil, both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk expressed their support for the current $0.54 tariff per gallon of imported ethanol. NASDA reports that the letter stated:
The Obama administration is committed to developing our domestic biofuels
industry in order to reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports and increase our use
of renewable energy resources. There has been no change of policy with respect
to the U.S. import surcharge of $0.54 per gallon on ethanol. The
administration has no plans to seek changes to the import surcharge.
To read the NASDA news release click here.
Posted: 08/06/09
