State employees are being asked to fuel up with E-85. Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge says burning ethanol is not only good for Iowa’s economy, it’s good for the environment. She says the typical driver who uses E-85, instead of regular unleaded gas, can prevent more than four tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the air.
Governor Chet Culver Thursday signed an executive order requiring more of the state’s flex fuel vehicles be powered by E-85. The order mandates that at least 60 percent of fuel purchases for the state’s flex fuel vehicles involve E-85 by the year 2009.
"With this executive order," Culver says, "state government will lead by example and demonstrate to Iowans and the rest of the nation, that we are committed to doing everything possible to support both the development and use of renewable energy."
Culver says it only makes sense for Iowa to require more use of E85 in it’s state vehicle fleet, since Iowa produces around 30 percent of the ethanol and 20 percent of the biodiesel fuel in the country. Culver claims the industry has added eight billion dollars to Iowa’s economy, creating 50,000 jobs. This marks the third time Culver has signed an executive order. He signed the order in Des Moines at a workshop titled "Kicking the Oil Addiction", sponsored by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services and the American Lung Association.