Statewide Iowa — Before adjourning last weekend, state lawmakers approved another year of funding for the state’s cost share biofuels program.
Nathan Hohnstein, policy director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, says the three-million dollars will pay for the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.
(As above) “It’s very important for the program but for retailers in general, in lieu of what the USDA is doing with its programs, providing additional federal dollars to retailers to try to expand and offer biofuels to consumers across the country.”
The association’s Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program provides Iowa fuel retailers with cost share grants to add the necessary equipment to their stations to offer higher blends of biofuels, like E-15, E-85 and biodiesel.
(As above) “It really has been a successful program,” Hohnstein says. “If you look at the history of the program, this is going on its 13th or 14th year where Iowa has put about $36-million into this program.”
He says consumers benefit from this program and it also gives a boost to the state’s economy and to agriculture.
(As above) “It offers more opportunities for consumers when they pull up at a local convenience store in their neighborhood, the opportunity to full up with a better quality, lower cost fuel option and put that in their tank,” he says, “while it’s also at the same time very good to the Iowa economy.”
The measure passed overwhelmingly in both Iowa legislative chambers.
