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State of Vermont
Senate Chamber
Montpelier, Vermont
Senate Resolution
By Senators Shumlin, Ayer, Bartlett, Campbell, Carris, Collins, Condos, Coppenrath, Cummings, Doyle,
Flanagan, Giard, Hartwell, Illuzzi, Kitchel, Kittell, Lyons, MacDonald, Maynard, Mazza, McCormack, Miller,
Mullin, Nitka, Racine, Scott, Sears, Snelling, Starr and White,
S.R. 31. Senate resolution urging the Governor and the Attorney General to petition the administrator of the
United States Environmental Protection Agency to seek a waiver from the food-to-fuel mandates as provided for
in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
Whereas, food prices are rising twice as fast as inflation, causing severe economic harm to consumers, and
Whereas, feed prices are rising dramatically, causing severe economic harm to dairy farmers and other
livestock owners, and
Whereas, the prices of basic staples such as milk and eggs have increased dramatically in recent years as the
price of animal feed has grown, and
Whereas, federal food-to-fuel mandates included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
currently divert 25 percent of America’s corn supplies and will soon divert 40 percent to our fuel supplies, and
this diversion significantly increases the cost of vegetable oils for food production and feed, and
Whereas, federal food-to-fuel mandates will soon divert 30 percent of America’s vegetable oil supplies to
our fuel supplies, significantly increasing the cost of vegetable oils for food production, and
Whereas, federal food-to-fuel mandates are tightening supplies of other crops contributing to higher food
prices, and
Whereas, food-to-fuel mandates are creating new environmental challenges, including poor air and water
quality and increased greenhouse gas emissions, and
Whereas, the Energy Independence and Security Act provides states with the power to petition the
administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency to reduce the amount of food being
diverted to our fuel supplies, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate of the State of Vermont urges the Governor to utilize the waiver provisions of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 to petition the administrator of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency to reduce the amount of food being diverted into America’s fuel supplies, and be it further
Resolved: That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Governor and
to the Attorney General.
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