Grassley Supports Clean Energy, Environment for Iowa
- As the father of the wind energy tax credit and longtime leader for ethanol and biofuels, Senator Grassley has done more than almost any other member of Congress to increase the use of clean energy. Senator Grassley supports the Renewable Fuels Standard and has consistently led efforts to defend it. He worked to create the original RFS in 2005 and to improve and expand it in 2007. Senator Grassley has defended the RFS from attacks from Big Oil, Big Food, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Senator Grassley urged the EPA to maintain a strong RFS by sending a letter in 2015 signed by 37 senators.Senator Grassley led another effort to push back against the EPA effort to reduce the RFS by sending letters to the agency this year regarding biodiesel levels signed by 40 senators and ethanol levels signed by 39 senators.
- Senator Grassley has been called the ‘Father of the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit’ for his work to pass legislation that is credited with spurring the creation of the modern wind energy industry. Wind energy related jobs have created 88,000 jobs nationwide and 6,000 jobs in Iowa. Because of Senator Grassley’s leadership, 31% of electricity in Iowa comes from wind, billions of dollars have been invested in rural Iowa communities, hundreds of wind turbines provide lease payments to Iowa property owners and there are a dozen wind product manufacturers across the state. Additionally, Senator Grassley pushed to restore wind energy research funding without adding to national debt.
Patty Judge an Ineffective Advocate for Renewable Fuels
- Patty Judge was endorsed by anti-ethanol Al Gore and the League of Conservation Voters.
- Judge said in a TV ad, “As secretary of agriculture, I’ve led the fight for ethanol.” But state audits show Judge missed all but three of the Iowa Department of Economic Development board’s meetings in her six years as a voting member of the group, which approved incentives for 24 ethanol-related projects during her tenure. (DMR, 5/18/06)