By Lori EhdeCongressman Gil Gutknecht was in Luverne last week on press tour to introduce new federal clean air legislation.The bill would amend the Clean Air Act to require all gasoline sold in the United States to contain 10 percent renewable fuel by the year 2010.Gutknecht introduced the "10 by 10 Act," as it’s called, on Nov. 17, and since then has been pressing for bipartisan support."Back in 1974 we said we were going to be more energy independent," Gutknecht told the Star Herald Dec. 1."How are we doing today? We’re more dependent on foreign oil today than we were in 1974."He said the time for a national renewable fuels policy is long overdue."I’ve always said a goal is a dream with a deadline," Gutknecht said. "If you don’t have a deadline, your chances of achieving it are almost zero. … My goal is energy independence for America."By creating a national mandate for renewable fuel, Gutknecht said the idea is that the 10 by 10 Act would spur investment and growth in American sources of energy.Much of the fuel would come in the form of ethanol, a clean-burning product made from corn and other domestically-raised crops."Minnesota has been doing it for years – has it been 10 years? And the cars are running fine, and it’s clean-burning fuel," Gutknecht said.With fuel prices on the rise, Gutknecht said his timing is right to introduce the legislation."Right now it costs about one dollar to produce a gallon of ethanol at $2.25 per bushel of corn," he said. "At $60 per barrel, it costs about $1.65 to produce a gallon of gasoline."But he said the oil industry won’t be willing to just give up 10 percent of its market share. "That’s why we need the federal mandate," he said. "It won’t be easy, but what really sells this is:"No. 1: Every day we’re sending a billion dollars to other countries to buy oil, and many are not particularly friendly to us. If we could keep 30 percent of that money here, just think about what that would do for our economy."No. 2: It’s better for the environment and it’s cheaper to produce. So why aren’t we doing it?"Seventeen members have joined with Gutknecht to introduce the bill.Gutknecht is chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department of Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry, vice chairman of the House Science Committee and a member of the House Government Reform Committee.More information about the 10 by 10 Act can be found on www.gil.house.gov.