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Work to begin on massive biodiesel plant in northern Iowa Wednesday, August 10, 2005 DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A massive biodiesel plant to be built in norther n Iowa is just the kind of project the new energy bill will help foster, said Sen. It will use soybeans, all bought from area farmers, said Bill Brady, spokesman for the Minnesota company. Grassley said tax incentives included in the energy bill signed by Presid ent Bush on Monday in Albuquerque, NM, will spur the growth of the bio diesel industry and benefit the economy. It's good for economic development," G rassley said Tuesday. "It's good for good-paying jobs in our small commu nities in the Midwest. "It's good for our national security, not to be so tied to foreign source s of oil. Everything about it is good, good, good," Grassley said. Brady said construction of the plant was announced before the energy bill passed. "But, with that said, some of the elements that were in the bil l were important to this project and, for that matter, to the biodiesel industry in general," he said. Brady said the company's overall strategy includes more participation in the biodiesel and ethanol industries, as well as continued research and development on expanding the use of ag-based fuels. Included in the bill is a tax break when biodiesel is blended with regula r diesel fuel to produce agri-diesel, intended to lower the cost of the fuel mixture at the pump and boost sales. Iowa Energy Center spokesman Norm Olson said the tax break will help leve l the playing field between petroleum and biodiesel. "The cost of biodiesel is still higher than regular diesel. In almost eve ry area, biodiesel outperforms regular diesel. Iowa's biodiesel output, about 25 million gallons a year, will leap to mo re than 50 million gallons when a fourth plant in Wall Lake begins produ ction later this year, said Iowa Soybean Association spokeswoman Karen A nderson. However, she said, demand has been growing faster than the supply, and Ca rgill's new plant is needed. The Heart of Iowa Co-op in Nevada, one of about 15 stations in Iowa selli ng biodiesel, has seen the growing demand for alternative fuels and plan s to add two more biodiesel and ethanol fueling stations by the end of t he year. "I think unleaded is going to be a thing of the past," said Harlan Borton , the co-op's energy manager. "Consumers are quickly catching on to the benefits of biodiesel and other refewable fuels ... "And why not help farmers instead of building palaces in Saudi Arabia and Iraq?"
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