FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               

Press Contact:   Monte Shaw

October 14, 2011                                                                                                                   

515-252-6249

IRFA President Walt Wendland Statement on Gov. Rick Perry’s Energy Plan

Background:  Presidential candidate Texas Governor Rick Perry today unveiled his energy policy during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. 

IRFA President Walt Wendland issued the following statement:

“In a recent op-ed in the New York Times on the need to promote flexible fuel vehicles to break the petroleum monopoly, former Reagan National Security Advisor Bud McFarland wrote: ‘Doing nothing is equivalent to mandating a monopoly by a single fuel (whose price is set by a foreign cartel).’  Well, the Perry energy plan is ‘do nothing’ when it comes to diversifying our fuel supply away from foreign oil.

“The Perry plan would leave America dependent on that single fuel – petroleum – with OPEC in charge of its price.  The Perry plan would leave intact the federal petroleum mandate.  The Perry plan would leave in place the fuel distribution monopoly of oil companies.

“But the most indefensible part of the Perry plan is that it would lock in tax subsidies for petroleum while eliminating them for all other competing fuels.  That might make sense in Texas, but it’s a stupid policy for America.  Governor Perry has said he doesn’t want the government to pick winner and losers.  But the Perry energy plan does just that – and foreign oil is the winner.”

Notes:  The tax credits for ethanol and biodiesel are set to expire at the end of the year.  However, petroleum tax subsidies are in the tax code permanently with no scheduled expiration dates – some have existed since 1913.  Therefore, under the Perry plan, petroleum tax subsidies would continue “business-as-usual” forever.

Walt Wendland is the CEO of Golden Grain Energy near Mason City, Iowa and Homeland Energy Solutions near Lawler, Iowa.  He is currently serving his second term as President of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development.

###

For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at:  www.IowaRFA.org