Lincoln, NE – Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns, the new chairman of the 25-state Governors’ Ethanol Coalition, will provide the keynote address at the nation’s largest annual ethanol conference in Las Vegas next month. Speaking at the Renewable Fuels Association’s Ethanol Policy and Marketing Conference on February 19, Governor Johanns will focus on ethanol’s near-term prospects for solving the nation’s energy needs.

"It is essential that ethanol be an integral part of any new national energy policy," Johanns said. "Our goal for 2001 is to work with and encourage the Bush Administration and Congress to pass a new law that expands the use of fuels blended with ethanol and phases out use of the harmful chemical MTBE in reformulated gasoline." In January, Governor Johanns became chairman of the Governors’ Ethanol Coalition and Missouri Governor Bob Holden was elected as vice chairman. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack served as chairman of the group in 2000.

Johanns said the principles embodied in a bill passed by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in October offer the best legislative guidelines for a new Federal Reformulated Fuels Act. Missouri Governor Holden added, "It is critical for us to develop and expand the use of domestic, renewable energy. Ethanol will play an increasingly important role in meeting the nation’s future fuel challenges."

The Governors’ Ethanol Coalition’s goals are to improve the environment through the use of ethanol as a clean air fuel additive. The organization also works to decrease the nation’s dependence on oil imports and stimulate local and national economies.