Lawmaker questions legislator’s ability to mandate ethanol

A top legislator says lawmakers may not have the authority to enact an”ethanol-only” rule for Iowa gas stations. Yesterday, the state attorneygeneral ruled the state ag secretary does not have the authority to forcegas stations to sell only ethanol-blended fuels. Senate Republican LeaderStewart Iverson says one sentence in the Attorney General’s ruling raises abig question: Does the “commerce clause” in the state constitution prohibitthe state legislature from forcing all motor fuel sold in Iowa to be blendedwith ethanol?Iverson prefers other ways of promoting the use of ethanol. One idea is toend the one-cent per gallon tax advantage ethanol enjoys and turn it into atax credit for gas stations which sell ethanol for less than other fuels.While Iverson is reluctant to pursue a statewide ethanol mandate, AttorneyGeneral Tom Miller is offering to work with Iverson and other legislators todraft something that would be legal.