In his remarks at the DNC Finance Event in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday August 2, 2010, the President expressed support for the domestic biodiesel industry.
We’re also jumpstarting a homegrown, clean energy industry -- because I don’t want to see the solar panels and the wind turbines and the biodiesel created in other countries. I don't want China and Germany and Brazil to get the jump on us in the industries of the future. I want to see all that stuff right here in the United States of America, with American workers. And the investments we’ve made so far are expected to create 800,000 jobs by 2012 -- 800,000 jobs in an industry of the future.
I can understand the President not wanting to see the production of biodiesel going to other countries but wonder about his commitment to the domestic biodiesel industry. The biodiesel tax credit was allowed to lapse at the end of 2009 and has yet to be reenacted. As a result the biodiesel industry is having tough times. According to the Daily Times Herald roughly half of the 50,000 U.S. jobs directly associated in biodiesel production have been lost the past two years.
It is nice to hear the President express support for biodiesel but would be even nicer if he would use the large majorities his party holds in the House and the Senate to take concrete actions to ensure the industries survival and restore those lost jobs.
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