Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to serve as the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition’s 2018 Leadership Team
Source: By Governors' Biofuels Coalition • Posted: Sunday, January 28, 2018
The Governors’ Biofuels Coalition announced today that Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will serve as chair and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton will serve as vice chair of the Coalition through 2018.
For over 20 years, the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition has provided regional and national leadership on biofuels policy development. The bipartisan group is comprised of governors from across the nation.
“I look forward to working with Governor Dayton to advance the bipartisan work of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, as the production and use of biofuels increases family incomes in rural America, diversifies our nation’s energy portfolio, and provides consumer choice at the fuel pump,” Governor Reynolds said.
“Minnesota has long been a national leader in adding value to our farm products and supporting the development of alternative fuels,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “Biofuels create new markets for Minnesota corn and soybeans, protect air and water quality, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. I look forward to working with Governor Reynolds to advance biofuel production, and support our farmers.”
Governor Reynolds and Governor Dayton both thanked Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts for his leadership of the Coalition over the past year and for his tireless national efforts to strengthen renewable energy policy.
Governor Reynolds’ Biofuels Leadership
Governor Reynolds is a true champion for biofuels and Iowa’s agriculture economy. She fought for Iowa farmers and a robust Renewable Fuel Standard at the national level and won. She traveled to Washington, D.C., in summer 2017 to testify on behalf of the Renewable Fuel Standard at a public hearing hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency.
At a press conference in fall 2017, the governor brought further attention to the importance of a robust biofuels industry by highlighting the industry alongside the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, the Iowa Biodiesel Board and Iowa farmers.
Right now, more than 43,000 jobs are supported by the renewable fuels industry in Iowa, generating $2.3 billion of income. Under her leadership, the biofuels industry is in the middle of a historic period of plant expansions that will result in about 11,000 new rural Iowa jobs.
Governor Dayton’s Biofuels Leadership
Under Governor Dayton’s leadership, Minnesota has nearly finished its Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) grant program, has implemented a standard for a 10 percent biodiesel blend (B10), and this May will implement a 20 percent (B20) standard.
The $8 million USDA BIP award to Minnesota leveraged $12 million from the state, ethanol plant partners, and retailers, and will result in the retrofit or installation of 774 ethanol-compatible pumps, 44 underground tanks, and three above-ground E15 tanks. The program is already expanding availability of higher ethanol blends, increasing the use of E15 sevenfold since 2016.
The biodiesel blending requirements have contributed to growth of an industry that today has the capacity to produce 85.5 million gallons of biodiesel and generates an estimated economic impact of nearly $1.7 million and over 5,000 jobs.