The Push For Cheaper Alternative Fuel

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By By George Howell

Summary

Sen. Maria Cantwell is leading the effort to let local farmers produce biodiesel fuel in our state thereby cutting its cost up to 50 cents a gallon.

Story Published: May 15, 2005 at 5:08 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jul 24, 2009 at 11:56 AM PDT

The Push For Cheaper Alternative Fuel
SEATTLE - With gas prices expected to go up this summer, there's new hope that an alternative fuel could save everybody some money.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) is pushing a plan in Washington D.C. to cut the cost of bio-diesel by 25 to 50 cents a gallon simply by letting local farmers produce the fuel in our state.

"We have to drive down the transportation and production costs of products that are being brought here from the mid-west," Cantwell explained.

By cutting production costs, Cantwell hopes to make the clean burning fuel a more competitive option for Washington State drivers like Cricket Farr.

"They are getting closer to what bio-diesel prices are per gallon," explained Farr, who has watched the price of diesel per gallon continue to rise.

Another diesel driver, Shannon Fitzgerald, said the alternative fuel "I don't care that it costs more money. I'm happy to pay more money for it because I think we all need to use fewer fossil fuels anyway."

Senator Cantwell says her proposed amendment to the Senate Energy Bill could have wide reaching effects for people who are feeling the pinch from high gas prices. Whether it's groceries or household items, Cantwell believes consumers across the country would see the savings from companies that haul those goods.

She also believes more gas stations will be willing to take a risk selling the clean burning fuel.

Rob Elam, a co-founder with Propel Fuels, said "there's a bio-diesel community in Seattle that's paying up to $3.65 a gallon and sometimes $4 a gallon for fuel so the commitment is there. Without that (commitment), we wouldn't be where we are today."