Articles Tagged: ethanol

Ryan Melton is challenging Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in Western Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, the state’s most conservative area of the state

The U.S. House on Thursday passed several pieces of legislation aimed at addressing high fuel and food costs and supply chain issues, including expanding the availability of higher-ethanol fuel blends

Navigator CO2 Ventures and POET have signed a deal to transport the carbon dioxide from 18 ethanol plants in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota through a proposed pipeline to Illinois.

The new law requires every Iowa gas station to offer the higher E15 ethanol blend

Recap of news from across the state

State lawmakers on Tuesday approved with strong, bipartisan support a proposal to require that most Iowa gas stations sell the E15 blend of ethanol in at least one pump.

The Iowa Senate’s tax policy committee Monday approved Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal after making some changes, including the addition of another way for small gas stations to receive an exemption from the proposed requirements and financial assistance for potential equipment upgrades.

In addition to vouchers, K-12 transparency, unemployment benefits, a proposed ethanol mandate, and the bottle bill remain on lawmakers’ to-do list.

The governors, including Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, are proposing the federal government regulate E10 — the most common blend of ethanol currently available year-round — the same as E15, which has a higher ethanol blend and typically is cheaper.

The Biden administration announced Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency action that will make the E15 blend of ethanol available through this summer. The action will cite the strain on the nation’s fuel supply caused by the Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine.

The president will make the announcement at an event scheduled for this afternoon at a biofuels processing plant in Guthrie County.

An official said Biden will speak to Iowans about his administration’s plans to address rising costs on consumers, and highlight investments in infrastructure, particularly in rural communities.

Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat seeking re-election, joins many Republicans and ethanol industry leaders in calling for the Biden administration to utilize E15 to ease gas price pressures on consumers.

With just 23 calendar days — which means closer to 18 actual legislative work days, since lawmakers rarely work on Fridays — remaining until lawmakers’ expense reimbursements run out, the push to adjournment begins in earnest next week.

In Iowa, the average gas price Thursday was $3.924, but topped $4 in many rural areas according to AAA. However, Iowa lawmakers say they’ve heard little talk of suspending state motor fuel taxes -- 30 cents a gallon state tax on gas and ethanol, and 32.5 on diesel fuel.