Rehberg sponsors American Alternative Fuels Act

Montana's Rep. Denny Rehberg is working to promote the use of alternative fuels with his sponsorship of the American Alternative Fuels Act.

"No one knows for sure where we'll be getting our energy a century from now, " Rehberg said in a press release Tuesday. "While some politicians want the federal government picking winners and losers, a better approach is to let consumers pick from as many options as we can reasonably provide. That's a big part of the all-of-the-above energy plan I've been working on. "

Rehberg signed on as an original sponsor of the bill.

In his press release, Rehberg said the bill will repeal barriers to domestic fuel production, including requirements that a government agency cannot buy alternative or synthetic fuel unless that fuel produces equal or less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional petroleum fuel.

The bill also requires the Environmental Protection Agency to take into account increased demands for electricity and decreased emissions due to the use of electric vehicles when setting performance standards for new electric generation facilities.

The bill also acts to increase transparency in the application process for the federal Loan Guarantee Program with new reporting requirements on fuel-focused applications.

"Increasing transparency in the Loan Guarantee Program will help speed the process by pinpointing delays in the bureaucratic process, " the press release said.

The bill also provides support for creation of synthetic natural gas, which can be done using coal, biomass, petroleum coke or solid waste, by specifying that facilities producing synthetic natural gas are eligible for the Loan Guarantee Program, and creating incentives under the renewable fuel standard to promote algae-based fuel production for algae-based fuel that uses carbon capture and sequestration, the release said.

The bill would allow the U. S. Department of Defense to enter into long-term contracts, up to 20 years, to purchase alternative fuels.

Rehberg, along with 59 other Republicans, co-sponsored a similar bill, "A Roadmap for America's Future, " in March. That bill, sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., has several provisions much like those listed for the "American Alternative Fuels Act. "