Richard G. Lugar, United States Senator for Indiana

U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar today met with Indy Pro Series driver Leilani Münter. Münter, a biologist and environmental advocate, debuted in NASCAR in 2002 and switched to the Indy Pro Series in 2007. The Indy Pro Series is a developmental racing series sanctioned by the Indy Racing League.

Lugar and Münter discussed global warming and the importance of renewable energy. Throughout her racing career, Münter has encouraged the sport to become more environmentally friendly, and she has taken several steps to reduce the impact of her participation on the environment. Since the Indy Racing League uses 100 percent ethanol and races over 220 miles per hour, Münter has encouraged NASCAR to switch to biofuels, too.

Lugar, who has driven a Toyota Prius for three years, enrolled his 604-acre family-owned farm in Marion County as an offset provider on the Chicago Climate Exchange in 2006. One-third of the farm is a classified hardwood tree farm, including significant acreage in black walnut trees that were planted in recent years. Growth of these trees produces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the air.

On March 4, Lugar gave welcoming remarks at the National Biofuels Corridor Project Briefing. The U.S. Department of Energy awarded Indiana $1.3 million to fund E85 and B20 fueling stations along Interstate 65 from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. These funds, made available through the Clean Cities Program, have allowed Indiana to take a leadership role in the development of biofuels infrastructure, outside of the Midwest, proving these fuels are not just regional, but instead vital domestic renewable fuels that are ready for the national stage.

For more than a decade, Lugar has stressed the strategic importance of energy security and the economic and security risks of dependence on oil. His legislative efforts promote sustainable energy production and use, incentives for renewable fuels like cellulosic ethanol and E85, increased fuel economy in cars, and clean coal. The Lugar Energy Initiative at http://lugar.senate.gov/energy highlights not only the repercussions of America's dangerous dependence on imported oil, but also provides information on energy legislation introduced by Lugar, commentary by outside experts and information on alternative and renewable energy sources.

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