July 26, 2023
BY Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program board approved 35 project applications totaling more than $1.6 million during its quarterly board meeting on July 20. Seven of the projects are for ethanol infrastructure, one is for a biodiesel terminal, and 27 are for biodiesel infrastructure.
The RFIP helps fuel retailers provide higher blends of lower cost Iowa grown biofuels to consumers by incentivizing the installation, replacement and conversion of ethanol and biodiesel dispensing and storage infrastructure. Incentives to upgrade biodiesel terminal and storage facilities are also available. While the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship manages the program, a board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate determines grant allocations on a quarterly basis.
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“When consumers can access higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel for their vehicle, they save money,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “As more retailers upgrade their infrastructure, Iowa drivers will continually find more options to help them save money through the use of cleaner burning and more affordable homegrown biofuels.”
Counties with locations receiving one or more of the project grants include the following: Van Buren, Crawford, Ida, Washington, Benton, Jackson, Muscatine, Taylor, Linn, Story, Jasper, Calhoun, Carroll, Iowa, Polk, Woodbury, Johnson, Pottawattamie, Marion, Winneshiek, Black Hawk, Dubuque and Madison. The complete list of locations can be found here.
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The Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Board will consider additional RFIP grant applications during its next quarterly meeting in October. The RFIP grant application is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website.
Over the history of the program, the state has invested approximately $75 million while private industry has invested over $225 million. To learn more about the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program, visit the program’s webpage on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website.
The U.S. EPA on July 8 hosted virtual public hearing to gather input on the agency’s recently released proposed rule to set 2026 and 2027 RFS RVOs. Members of the biofuel industry were among those to offer testimony during the event.
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is implementing multiple changes to the Camelina pilot insurance program for the 2026 and succeeding crop years. The changes will expand coverage options and provide greater flexibility for producers.
President Trump on July 4 signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The legislation extends and updates the 45Z credit and revives a tax credit benefiting small biodiesel producers but repeals several other bioenergy-related tax incentives.
CARB on June 27 announced amendments to the state’s LCFS regulations will take effect beginning on July 1. The amended regulations were approved by the agency in November 2024, but implementation was delayed due to regulatory clarity issues.
SAF Magazine and the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative announced the preliminary agenda for the North American SAF Conference and Expo, being held Sept. 22-24 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.