A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Oklahoma Biofuels Development Act”.

B. The Legislature finds that Oklahoma should encourage the processing, market development, promotion, distribution, and research of fuels derived from grain, ethanol or ethanol components, biodiesel, biobased lubricants, coproducts, or byproducts to provide for:

1. Expanded use of Oklahoma agricultural products;

2. Efficient and less-polluting energy sources and reserves which will make Oklahoma less energy dependent, reduce atmospheric carbon monoxide levels, and retain Oklahoma dollars in the Oklahoma economy to achieve a multiplier effect, thereby generating additional jobs and tax income to the state rather than exporting Oklahoma dollars;

3. Development of protein which will be more efficiently stored and marketed to foreign nations rather than the present method of simple export of unprocessed grain products;

4. Alternative local outlets for Oklahoma agricultural products which can be particularly utilized in times of depressed grain prices so as to give Oklahomans greater control of their crop marketing procedures rather than have crop marketing procedures too dependent upon federal agencies, major grain exporters, and foreign purchasers. Local outlets may include ethanol plants, oil seed processing plants, agricultural production facilities, or facilities related to the processing, marketing, or distribution of ethanol or products derived from ethanol or ethanol components, other biobased products, coproducts, or byproducts;

5. Cooperation with private industry to establish ethanol- and biobased-product-related production facilities in Oklahoma to create demand for agricultural products;

6. Promotion and market development, in cooperation with private industry, of ethanol or products derived from ethanol or ethanol components, biodiesel, coproducts, or byproducts; and

7. Sponsorship of research and development of industrial and commercial uses for agricultural ethanol and biobased oils and for byproducts resulting from the manufacturing of agricultural ethanol and biobased products in order to enhance economic feasibility and marketing potential of such products and processes.

Added by Laws 2005, c. 83, § 1, emerg. eff. April 19, 2005.