Washington, D.C. – Today the U.S. Senate passed an amendment by Senator Russ Feingold to allow the federal government to partner with private entities to develop new biofuels technologies.  Feingold’s amendment is based on a provision in his E4 Initiative launched last year to help fuel job creation and spur economic development.  It authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and in particular the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), to enter into cooperative agreements with businesses, universities and other interested parties and allows the USDA and USFS to make their facilities, equipment and technical expertise available to help get advanced biofuels to market faster.  Many businesses face the challenge of moving new technologies they have developed into the marketplace.  Feingold’s amendment will help the government facilities serve as business incubators, such as the USFS’s proposed Bioenergy Pilot Plant that the USFS is pursuing at the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin.

“This effort is all about making the federal government a better partner for businesses and others in the private sector that are developing innovative solutions to our energy challenges,” Feingold said. “Helping new energy technologies get off the ground is essential in moving toward a new energy economy, where Wisconsin is well positioned to be an economic leader. I am pleased the Senate has supported my legislation to help find ways to break our addiction to oil, while also spurring job creation and enhancing rural development.”

Passage of this amendment marks the third victory for Feingold’s E4 Initiative, which was launched last September to help strengthen Wisconsin’s economy and support hardworking Wisconsinites. In July the Senate passed a Feingold E4 provision to support innovative small businesses in key areas like energy and water research where Wisconsin has a strategic edge. And in February another Feingold E4 provision was signed into law to boost job growth, increase energy efficiency, and help businesses and homeowners go green by expanding the types of projects that are eligible for the Qualified Energy Conservation Bond (QECB) program.

This amendment is based on Feingold’s Energy and Technology Advancement (ETA) Act (S. 223) introduced September 11, 2008. 

Audio of Senator Feingold’s comments on this E4 victory is available here.

More information on Feingold’s E4 Initiative can be found here.