Iowa Biodiesel Board releases data showing 76 percent of voters support expanding biodiesel in Renewable Fuel Standard

ANKENY, Iowa - As the parade of presidential hopefuls continues at the Iowa State Fair this week, the Iowa Biodiesel Board reminds them just how important biodiesel is to the state's voters.

According to the group's annual independent public opinion research, the state trade association said today 76 percent of voters in Iowa widely support expanding the Renewable Fuel Standard to increase biodiesel use in the United States.

The majority of voters surveyed also said a presidential candidate's view on the RFS is important to their vote.

Grant Kimberley, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, said a candidate's support for renewable fuels should be a central campaign issue, both in Iowa and beyond.

"Growing a diverse, domestic energy supply is one of the most critical challenges our nation faces," Kimberley said. "There are many foreign security threats today, which only strengthen the argument for domestic fuel production. The RFS has helped us move in that direction, but it's a policy constantly under threat. Where the next president stands on this matters to voters."

The IBB has reached out to several campaign leaders, inviting candidates from both parties to tour one of the state's 12 biodiesel plants. The group plans to share the voter data with the campaigns.

"As a sustainable, commercially available advanced biofuel with economic and environmental benefits, biodiesel is a shining success in what America's innovative farmers and small business community can achieve in energy production," Kimberley said.

Iowa is the top biodiesel-producing state, supporting 4,376 full-time equivalent jobs.

A professional public opinion research firm, Moore Information, conducted the online survey of 500 Iowans in late July.

Biodiesel is made from a variety of resources including soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats. The Iowa Biodiesel Board is a nonpartisan state trade association representing the biodiesel industry.

Governor Branstad issues disaster proclamation for four counties

(DES MOINES) - Governor Terry E. Branstad has received word that FEMA has approved his request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 19 counties impacted by severe weather in June.

The counties included in the declaration are: Allamakee, Appanoose, Butler, Clayton, Dallas, Davis, Des Moines, Guthrie, Howard, Jefferson, Lee, Lucas, Marion, Mitchell, Monroe, Warren, Wayne, Winneshiek and Wright.

The governor sent the request for a declaration on July 22, 2015, in response to significant damage that was caused by damaging winds, tornadoes, heavy rains, hail and thunderstorms from June 20-25, 2015.

The declaration by the President will provide federal funding to the declared counties under the Public Assistance Program. A Presidential Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are matched by state programs, and designed to help public entities and select non-profits. Public Assistance funds may be used for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and may include debris removal, emergency protective measures, repair of damaged public property, loans needed by communities for essential government functions and grants for public schools.

The Governor also received notification that the Presidential Disaster Declaration includes funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state. With this funding, Iowa will be able to minimize the impact of future disasters by taking steps now to strengthen existing infrastructure.

This is Iowa's first Presidential Disaster Declaration in 2015, and the 22nd Presidential Disaster Declaration Iowa has received since March 2007.

In addition, today Gov. Branstad issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Guthrie, Marion, Union and Warren counties. This is in response to the ongoing flooding and severe weather beginning July 26, 2015.

The governor's proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of these storms. Today's proclamation also activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for all four counties.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $40,180, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

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Comments are sent ahead of the comment deadline tonight

(DES MOINES) - Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority Debi Durham, Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation Paul Trombino and Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Chuck Gipp today sent a letter to President Obama and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy encouraging the administration to revise their ill-advised proposed rule on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and submitted comments to the EPA in support of a robust RFS. The comments were sent today, July 27, 2015, the final day the EPA will accept comments on the proposed rule regarding the RFS volume obligation levels. The comment period ends at 11:59 p.m. ET tonight. Iowans interested in commenting on the proposed rule can do so here.

In the letter to Obama and McCarthy, Iowa leaders write, "As state leaders, we are keenly focused on helping create a business and public policy environment that drives job growth throughout the State - in communities both large and small, urban and rural. We share the concerns of many Iowans and citizens throughout the Midwest that the EPA's current proposal will undermine our shared goal of a healthy economy in rural America and abandon the various public policy benefits that flow from the RFS. For decades, the agricultural economy lurched from crisis to crisis and farmers often depended on government subsidies to stay afloat. The RFS helped brighten the future of the agricultural and biosciences sectors by providing a stable policy framework that gives value-add opportunities for various agricultural commodities, while helping reduce transportation emissions - a true win-win."

[...]

"If the EPA's proposed rule stands, consumers across America would be limited in their choices at the pump. When consumers have choices, like they do in Iowa, they choose ethanol and other biofuels. The oil companies are preventing fuel choice in other parts of the country and consumers lose, paying much more for fuel. The Iowa Department of Revenue tracks biofuels sales and the data is clear - when given the choice, Iowans choose biofuels. Consumer purchases of E85 (85 percent denatured ethanol fuel and 15 percent gasoline) in Iowa continue to increase - growing from 9.12 million gallons in 2012 to 11.15 million gallons in 2013, to 12.08 million gallons in 2014 - a growth of nearly 33% in that period according to Iowa Department of Revenue data. Total B100 (100 percent biodiesel) sales in Iowa have expanded from 7.4 million gallons in 2010 to 33.3 million gallons in 2014. In 2010, the average blend level of biodiesel-blended gallons sold in Iowa was 3.1 percent and by 2014, the average blend level had more than tripled to 9.4 percent. Big Oil does not like competition - but American consumers deserve and demand choices at the fuel pump."

The full letter to President Obama and Administrator McCarthy can be read here.

Highlights of Iowa leaders' engagement on the RFS include :

• State and Federal elected officials, including Gov. Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds, participated in a "Defend the RFS" event.
• Gov. Branstad traveled to Washington, DC, joining a group of Iowa farmers and biofuels producers, to testify at the Federal government's only public hearing and met with EPA Administrator McCarthy.
• Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, Secretary Bill Northey and the entire Iowa congressional delegation sent a joint letter to Federal leaders advocating for the many benefits that flow from the RFS.
• Gov. Terry Branstad and Gov. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) penned an op-ed in support of a strong Renewable Fuel Standard.
• Gov. Terry Branstad brought together a bipartisan group of six governors to sign on to a letter to President Barack Obama, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressing their support for a strong RFS.
• Leaders from across the Midwest joined Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds for their "Hearing in Heartland," which was open to all interested citizens; 83 panelists from across the Midwest Region spoke from the heart about the importance of the RFS to their livelihoods and a healthy rural economy while only two individuals expressed opposition to a robust RFS.
• Gov. Branstad, in his Condition of the State address, called on the Iowa Legislature to pass a resolution in support of a robust RFS. The Legislature unanimously passed bicameral, bipartisan resolutions calling for the EPA to reverse course and support a strong RFS. View the resolutions: House Resolution 101 | Senate Resolution 101
• State of Iowa leaders submitted formal comments to the EPA with current data and analysis that provides Federal leaders the opportunity and obligation to revise their initial volume obligations upward.
• Gov. Branstad and Sec. Northey testify in support of a robust RFS before the EPA's hearing in Kansas City.
• Lt. Gov. Reynolds submits written testimony to the EPA in support of a robust RFS.
• Lt. Gov. Reynolds rallies for a robust RFS with Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in Blair, Neb.

President Obama is making history, again: On Thursday, he became the first sitting president to visit a federal prison.

Obama's visit to El Reno federal prison in Oklahoma on July 16 is part of his administration's focus on criminal justice reform. On Monday, Obama announced that he would be commuting the sentences of 46 people convicted for nonviolent drug offenses. And on Wednesday, the White House released a fact sheet detailing the various efforts that have been developed to make the United States' criminal justice system fairer and more effective.

It's clear that Obama is taking a different approach to criminal justice reform than his predecessors, as the New York Times' Peter Baker observes, and his commendable efforts should be acknowledged in their own right. But his recent focus on criminal justice also provides an invaluable window into the dire conditions of a system that continues to disenfranchise so many U.S. citizens and undocumented people ? of which too many remain unaware.

As criminal justice reform begins to take center stage, and as presidential contenders begin crafting their platforms for 2016, here are eight such issues the U.S. public needs to know.

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