Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/288177
April 2014 | Boating Industry | 23 [ Washington Update ] www.BoatingIndustry.com In fact, The Hill – an infl uential Washing- ton newspaper and website – named the EPA's decision one of the top fi ve lobbying victories of 2013. Much remains to be done, though, as the EPA's decision is only a stopgap measure. Congressional action is needed to modify the Renewable Fuel Standard for the long term, Vasilaros said. "At the end of the day Congress is the only body that can actually do reform," she said. "These short-term fi xes by EPA are welcome, but they're just short term." With engine makers designing for the next generation of sterndrive engines, and outboards being rethought for 2015 and beyond, those manufacturers need to know about the fuel that will be in the marketplace, she said. There's also still considerable support for the ethanol industry in Washington, especially among senators and representatives from states like Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois where corn is being grown to feed the ethanol demand. Shortly after the EPA's announcement, 22 sena- tors signed a letter arguing against the changes. Unlike many issues in Washington it tends to be a regional, not partisan issue. A number of bills were introduced in Wash- ington last year to address ethanol and the Re- newable Fuel Standard. The most recent was the bipartisan S. 1807, the Corn Ethanol Man- date Elimination Act of 2013, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in December. The bill, which has eight other Democratic and Republican co-sponsors, would eliminate the corn ethanol mandate and encourage the use of other biofu- els. It was referred to the Committee on Envi- ronment and Public Works before Congress left on its winter recess. Following the bill's introduction, more than 40 groups including NMMA, BoatUS and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is- sued a letter in support of it. "The next step is what is the vehicle that will move through Congress and gain momentum," Vasilaros said. While there is still work to do on the ethanol issue, where it stands today versus just a few years The Hill named EPA's proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard one of the top lobbying victories of 2013. Boating Industry .com Visit BoatingIndustry.com for the latest on these and other regulatory issues. P22x27-BI14APR-GovtUpdate.indd 23 3/13/14 4:25 PM