For Release: Monday, August 27, 2001
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

SIU-E GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

COSTELLO STATEMENT ON ETHANOL PILOT PLANT GROUND BREAKING AT SIU-E

Washington - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) issued the following statement regarding the ground breaking for the new ethanol pilot plant on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville:

"This is a great day for Illinois farmers, Southern Illinois University, and our nation. The valuable research that will be done at this facility will add to the economic and environmental benefits that we currently expect from the increased use of ethanol. Illinois produces 685 million gallons of ethanol annually, making it the largest producer in the nation. The ethanol industry uses 274 million bushels of Illinois corn each year, or about 17% of the Illinois corn crop. Illinois yields more corn per acre than any other state and leads the nation in the use of ethanol blended gasoline. Clearly, Illinois will benefit by making ethanol an even more dynamic alternative fuel."

Costello helped secure the $14 million in federal funding for construction of the pilot plant as well as $1.5 million for its design. The State of Illinois contributed $6 million. The facility will be used for research into production-level commercial applications for ethanol, which promises to reduce its production cost.

Costello has been a strong supporter of ethanol during his tenure in Congress. He is a senior member of the House Science Committee and its Energy Subcommittee, and is a member of the House Alcohol Fuels Caucus. Costello is also a cosponsor of legislation to ban methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive that has a negative effect on the nation’s water quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided earlier this summer not to grant the State of California a waiver from using fuel additives when its ban on MTBE goes into effect in 2003. Costello asked EPA Administrator Whitman earlier this year not to grant the waiver. Ethanol is widely expected to be used in place of MTBE.

###