Grassley sponsors bill pushing manure power

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s sponsoring legislation that would give tax breaks for converting the methane from manure into electricity. Grassley has dubbed the legislation the “POWER Bill of 2001” — POWER stands for “Providing Opportunities With Effluent Renewables.” Grassley says converting the methane emitted by manure to electricity cuts odor by 90 percent. Grassley says using manure gases for electricity solves all sorts of problems and would provide farmers with a new source of electricity. He says the electricity-conversion process also improves the quality of manure used for fertilizing fields.Grassley’s legislation would also ensure research that improves methane-electricity technology gets federal backing.