As his proposal to double the amount of ethanol in gasoline nears its toughest test, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is telling backers to lean on wavering legislators to get it passed.
Pawlenty wants to raise Minnesota's mandate so each gallon of gas contains 20 percent of the corn-based additive instead of the current 10 percent.
No other state has that high of a standard. The automobile industry opposes it and there's no guarantee the federal government would allow it.
A vote on the proposal by the House Transportation Finance Committee is scheduled for March 22. The Minnesota Senate approved the higher standard earlier this year.