Sen. Chuck Grassley issued the following statement regarding the decision released today by Iowa Agriculture Secretary Patty Judge. Sen. Grassley filed a bi-partisan, citizens' petition on behalf of the ethanol standard on August 31, 1999. I appreciate the time that Attorney General Miller and his staff put into this review. The decision is a disappointment because a new ethanol standard in Iowa would benefit our farmers and create jobs. All of us farm leaders Republicans and Democrats are looking for ways to promote value-added agriculture.
Ethanol reduces water and air pollution, as well as our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Iowa law already imposes a gasoline market mandate upon consumers. The specifics of that mandate, for the most part, were created by oil companies. Right now, we consumers don't have any choice about what's put into our gasoline. We have to buy whatever hazardous and harmful chemicals the oil industry mandates, unless the government steps in to protect the public.