• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Politics / Govt / Harkin says ruling will get biodiesel back on track

Harkin says ruling will get biodiesel back on track

February 4, 2010 By Matt Kelley

Iowa’s stalled biodiesel industry got encouraging news Wednesday when the Obama administration reversed a policy and decided the soybean-based fuel -does- meet federal E.P.A. rules on carbon emissions. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin applauds the ruling, saying it’s one big step toward getting renewable biodiesel back on track.

“The announced rule was necessary to implement that policy,” Harkin says. “In other words, we had the policy, we needed the rule and the rule was implemented. As you know, this is going to help the biodiesel industry.”

The Energy Bill stipulates 36-billion gallons of biodiesel be used per year by 2022 and Harkin says the policy change can enable that to happen. Still, most of Iowa’s biodiesel plants remain idle. A federal dollar-a-gallon subsidy on biodiesel was allowed to expire on December 31st of last year, which effectively made production of the fuel too expensive. Harkin, a Democrat, says that tax credit -may- be restored soon.

“The 50-provision tax extender bill, that has largely been a hostage of the Republican scorched-earth, filibuster-everything-to-the-max policy, we’ve been saving. So, I’m very hopeful that we’ll be able to consider a variety of job-creating measures on the Senate floor early next week and I hope this tax extender will include the biodiesel tax credit.” Reports say 13 to 14 of the 15 biodiesel plants in Iowa have closed in recent weeks, at least temporarily.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Politics / Govt Tagged With: Democratic Party, Tom Harkin

Featured Stories

Final employee who was there at the launch of the Iowa Lottery to retire

No more USPS mail in Iowa prisons; inmates to get copies of mail

State officials warn of influx of fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl

‘Brain-eating amoeba’ discovered in Taylor County lake

Cedar Rapids therapist’s relationship with student leads to years in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Northern Iowa’s Farley touts new practice facility

First minor league game gets things started tonight at Field of Dreams site

Knoxville set to host sprint car racing’s biggest event

Iowa State basketball builds on its identity

Vance provides leadership for ISU defense

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC