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Governor Culver pledges support for federal biodiesel legislation
Iowa Governor Chet Culver, who is Chair of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, today said he is “determined” to help get the extension of the federal biodiesel tax incentive passed in Congress.
Contacts: Jenna Higgins Rose/Rose Media
(573) 234-8935
Randy Olson/Iowa Biodiesel Board
(515) 669-9028
June 23, 2010
Governor Culver pledges support for federal biodiesel legislation
Iowa Biodiesel Board thanks Governor, asks for help in rebuilding Iowa’s biodiesel industry
WASHINTON, D.C. – Iowa Governor Chet Culver, who is Chair of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, today said he is “determined” to help get the extension of the federal biodiesel tax incentive passed in Congress.
Culver addressed members of the National Biodiesel Board, including several Iowa biodiesel producers, at its annual June meeting in Washington, D.C. He noted that the renewable energy industry is one of the best opportunities to grow the economy.
“This is arguably the best way to create job opportunities for Americans and Iowans,” Culver said. “It’s an established industry that has already created hundreds of thousands of jobs, and has the potential to create millions more. Our economy depends on it.”
Culver also committed to helping ensure that the federal Renewable Fuels Standard-2 is fully implemented. It requires petroleum companies to blend a modest amount of biomass-based diesel into some of their fuel.
Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, who invited the governor to speak, thanked the Governor for his show of support for federal legislation.
“We ask Governor Culver to use his leadership position to get the message to Congress on how vital this tax credit is to our nation’s economy and energy security,” Olson said. “Our industry produces the only commercially available advanced biofuel in the U.S., but we are withering on the vine. He said today renewable energy can help change the world, and we want to see it happen.”
In Iowa alone, half of the state’s biodiesel plants have closed their doors or gone idle, and thousands of jobs have been lost.
IBB members attending the meeting include Iowa Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy Group, Western Iowa Energy, Cargill, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Monsanto, ADM, and the Iowa Soybean Association. IBB members spent yesterday meeting with Iowa’s Congressional delegation on the legislation.
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For more about the Iowa Biodiesel Board, visit www.IowaBiodiesel.org.
