Iowa renewable fuels bill speeding to Reynolds

DES MOINES — A requirement to expand access to the E15 blend of corn-based ethanol at Iowa gas stations, one of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ top priorities, appears to be well on its way to her desk.

The proposal passed through a streamlined legislative process Tuesday in the Iowa Senate, leaving it just a few legislative steps away from the governor’s pen.

The legislation would require that most Iowa gas stations offer E15 ethanol — a higher blend than the E10 fuel typically available — in at least half their pumps. The proposal contains a waiver process for stations that cannot obtain E15 ethanol or lack the sufficient equipment to store the fuel.

It also contains tax credits to support ethanol and other biofuels.

Iowa Sen. Dan Zumbach, a Republican from Ryan who chairs the Senate’s committee on agriculture, said the legislation will expand the availability of E15 to Iowa drivers and help strengthen the price of corn and soybeans, the state’s top crops.

“This is about Iowa. This is about the people that live in Iowa. This is about supporting Iowans,” he said. “I think we have a real opportunity to do well for Iowans.”

The bill, House File 2128, previously passed the Iowa House on a bipartisan 82-10 vote.

On Tuesday, the Senate agriculture committee essentially combined two legislative steps into one, passing the bill through the subcommittee and full committee process in one meeting. It also must go through the Senate’s committee on tax policy, and if it passes there will be eligible for consideration by the full Senate, where Zumbach said he thinks there is sufficient support.

“This bill answers a lot of questions. Does it create some? Absolutely. But this bill is about doing what Iowans do, and that’s support Iowans,” Zumbach said. “I think we got good policy here.”

No Democrats spoke about the bill during Tuesday’s hearing; it passed on voice votes.

Should it pass the Senate, the bill would head to Reynolds’ desk. She proposed the bill at the beginning of the session.

It is Reynolds’ second attempt at a sweeping renewable fuels bill. Last year, she proposed requiring gas stations offer E15 at all but one pump. When gas stations pushed back at that proposal, she returned with a new pitch this year.

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