Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a bill authorizing $10 million for federal agencies to create research and development programs that could help increase use of biofuels, moving the nation a step closer to energy independence and a more diversified fuel supply.

H.R. 547, the Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act passed overwhelmingly in the house by a vote of 400-3. Committee on Science and Technology Chair Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) authored the bill, which is the first energy legislation cleared by the House this Congress.

“It is clear that relying solely on conventional fuels like gasoline could threaten our economic well-being and environmental health,” Gordon. “The public wants and deserves clean and reliable fuel choices. Passing this biofuels bill will help get us there.”

The primary objective of the legislation, which will now be sent to the Senate for consideration, is to make renewable fuels more compatible with the nation’s existing petroleum-based energy infrastructure. The research program would be conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The legislation would help fuel distributors and retailers with the high cost of investing in new storage tanks and pumps needed to give drivers greater access to biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Alternative fuels like E-85, an 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline motor fuel blend, have different chemical properties that can lead to corrosion of traditional storage tanks and pipelines used to ship oil and oil-related products.

The bill works to save fuel distributors and retailers from bearing the high cost of replacing or building new infrastructure and instead directs the EPA, in consultation with the DOE and NIST, to research and develop new technologies that would allow retailers to use alternative fuels in existing infrastructures. Some of these technologies might include fuel additives, blend stocks or easier tank reconditioning methods.

“Energy is on everyone’s minds these days. But it’s not enough to simply develop new alternatives to petroleum-based fuels,” said Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas), chair of the subcommittee on energy and environment. “We must also ensure the availability of infrastructure and equipment for transporting, distributing and utilizing these new fuels at a reasonable cost. That is where H.R. 547 comes in.”

The bill also directs the EPA and NIST to develop an accurate way to test the sulfur content of a more air-friendly diesel fuel known as Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, or ULSD. The two agencies would also develop standards for biofuels similar to those that already exist for petroleum-based fuels.

During floor debate, the chamber also accepted an amendment offered by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., that requires money collected from violations of the vehicle fuel efficiency requirements to be used to expand infrastructure necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels.

Meanwhile, the House blocked efforts to broaden the bill to include programs that would boost clean coal and other alternative technologies, arguing against bogging the bill down with various clean energy proposals.

Gordon said that changes in infrastructure could cost $5 billion to $30 billion, but that the bill would help increase research needed to make those adjustments less costly.