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Ethanol proponent argues for higher blend limit

Calls to raise the ethanol blend limit from 10 percent, to as much as 15 percent, have generated plenty of discussion in recent weeks. Among those arguing for a higher blend isRon Lamberty of ACE—the American Coalition for Ethanol.

"When we talk about next generation biofuels,” says Lamberty, “things like the cellulosic ethanol, that sort of thing—the growth in that industry is just being stagnated—because there is no placefor that stuff to go once those plants are built and once the technology comes on.”

Lamberty says moving the so-called blend wall is essential to the growth of the ethanol industry.

“So if we want to continue to move forward with thisplan we’ve put in place—to use more domestic fuel, keep more jobs in the United States, have cleaner air—if we want to move forward, we have to have more places to sell that fuel.”

Lamberty expects an EPA decision on the blend limit sometime in 2009.