LINCOLN- State Sens. Megan Hunt and Jane Raybould crossed party lines to join with conservative PAC Americans for Prosperity in arguing that mandating what kind of gas pumps businesses should provide was government overreach. "Government should not tell businesses what to sell," said Hunt, "The ethanol industry can stand on its own without a government mandate."

Sen. Raybould echoed a similar sentiment. Raybould, whose family owns a chain of supermarkets that include gas pumps, argued that forcing retailers to have higher blend E-15 pumps was wrong-headed. All of this concern arose after debate began on Sen. Myron Dorn's LB562, which would require that gas stations utilize the higher blend. Sen. Murman joined with Sen. Dorn to argue that the higher blend of ethanol, because Nebraska produces so much of it, would strengthen Nebraska's economy and reward corn farmers.

"We need to support our own economy," Murman told his colleagues, "And this is a bill that will do that." If passed, LB562 would require any new gasoline outlet, or any station replacing more than 80% of its pumps at any one time, to provide E-15, a blend that contains 15% ethanol, in at least 50% of its pumps. The conservative PAC Americans for Prosperity argue that such a mandate would be blatant and egregious government overreach.

For the full article click HERE