Statewide Iowa — Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says over the past dozen years, his department has awarded 50 million dollars in state grants for installing ethanol-compatible equipment at gas stations and it’s time to take the next step.
Naig says Governor Reynolds has proposed a practical Iowa Renewable Fuels Standard because it requires stations that can, to offer E-15 but waivers would be available to smaller, older stations that can’t afford new tanks, pumps and fuel lines.
Under the plan that’s passed the House, Naig’s agency would be in charge of granting the waivers. Naig says he’s asked the legislature to make it very clear which stations would qualify for a waiver and not have to sell E-15 or higher blends of ethanol.
The governor’s ethanol standard for Iowa passed the House earlier this year, but has stalled in the Senate.
House members have also voted for a moratorium on another ethanol-related issue. The proposal would delay until next year any developers’ request to seize property along proposed carbon pipeline routes where landowners have not signed off on access. Naig says he can see the benefits of capturing the carbon from Iowa ethanol plants and shipping it to underground storage through pipelines.
Three companies have announced plans to build carbon pipelines through Iowa. Naig says he’d much rather see the companies strike voluntary deals with landowners and the Iowa Utilities Board should be careful in considering private property rights before granting eminent domain for land seizures.
Naig made his comments during a weekend appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.
