IARN — New Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan visited with biofuel leaders and farmers in Iowa on Tuesday.
Making his first trip since being sworn into office, Regan took a tour of the Lincolnway Energy ethanol plant near Nevada with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Regan also led a roundtable discussion with Iowa farmers and biofuel producers.
According to Monte Shaw – executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Assocation – Regan heard a ‘loud and clear’ message that biofuels are more than a transition fuel and are the net-carbon-negative fuel of the future.
“He made clear that he wants us to know that Ag and biofuels have a seat at the table,” said Shaw. “He wants to learn more, listen and make sure that they maximize the role we can play. I think he came across very sincere. From talking to other attendees, I think they appreciated him coming. We look forward to working with him.”
“We also know that there’s other people that will be talking to him from a different point of view,” Shaw continued. “Ultimately, we want to keep the dialogue going and then hopefully see that when the rubber meets the road, some of these decisions open up new opportunities for biofuels.”
Shaw says any plan to significantly reduce carbon emissions over the next decade must include biofuels, and hopes that after his visit in Iowa Tuesday that Regan will carry that message back to policy makers in Washington, D.C.
“The Lincolnway team did a great job of showing (Regan) where ethanol has been, where it’s at and where it can go in terms of its carbon footprint,” said Shaw. “We’re talking about technology that has already been proven in different ethanol plants or on the farm level – even with carbon sequestration.”
Iowa Fourth District Congressman Randy Feenstra released a statement about Regan’s Iowa visit saying: “I am pleased to see the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Michael Regan, is making an effort to see what Iowa has to offer by holding a roundtable with ag producers in the 4th District. I believe we can work together to empower producers, increase efficiency, and maintain clean water, soil, and air.”
Regan also met with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds at a contaminated industrial site in Des Moines on Tuesday.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network
Photo courtesy of Michael Regan/Twitter
