Biodiesel-supporting governor of Montana vetoed biodiesel tax credit bill, but all is not lost
Why did Gov. Schweitzer (D), a long-time supporter of biodiesel, veto a bill designed to give biodiesel users a $500 tax credit? According to Biodiesel Magazine, "Schweitzer said the bill's estimated $3 million economic impact was simply too much to approve without final numbers in place." The veto came back in May and, because it hadn't passed with a two-thirds majority in the first place, a veto override was unlikely.
Still, biodiesel advocates in Big Sky country might take solace in that U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D) said the compromise energy bill passed this week Thursday will bring help to the state's farmers because it calls for more biofuels. Tester's amendment in said bill, which he inserted at Schweitzer's request, did not survive into the final bill. Biodiesel folks will likely cheer this, too, since the amendment called for $200 million in grants for new coal-to-liquid fuel plants.
[Source: Biodiesel Magazine, Great Falls Tribune]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GreyFlcn 7:32PM (6/23/2007)
Are you crazy?
The reason Montana can't support biofuels is because they hardly have enough water or sunlight to grow food.
For comparison, the ammount of water needed to irrigate the corn for Calfornia's ethanol.
Is comprable to the total ammount of water consumed by the whole state.
(Sure the water is coming from Iowa region)
But it's impossible for water starved states to grow biofuels in any meaningful quantities.
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