09/12/07 Two energy bills need to be combined into one

Even though the Senate and House have passed Energy Bills it may be awhile before the legislation goes to President Bush for his signature. STECKEL "Because the pieces of legislation that passed the House and Senate differ so greatly there will be a lot of controversy when it comes to actually conferencing these bills, in other words making them the same bill." American Farm Bureau's Anne Steckel would like to see the controversial measures dropped so the energy bill can promote renewable fuels, tax incentives and infrastructure improvements. STECKEL "There's a lot of initiative, a lot of support both on and off Capitol Hill for a comprehensive energy plan and so hopefully some of that will translate into an immediate urgency to have something passed." Steckel says the renewable fuels standard should be included in the final legislation. STECKEL "The Renewable Fuels Standards is incredibly important to farmers. It spurs economic development in rural America, it lessens our dependence on foreign oil and in times like this when we have such high gasoline prices it's nice to know we can grow our own fuel here in the United States." Steckel says the negotiators who must resolve the energy bill differences haven't even been chosen but when picked they obviously have a lot of work ahead of them. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott