IL Senator Dick Durbin

Chuck Zimmerman

Interviewing Senator DurbinWe stopped in Illinois off the road in Ottawa where the original test site was set up by what is now AASHTO to test various highway products and procedures. To do this a lot of people put in a lot of work over years, including driving a track millions of miles.

One of the people greeting us was Senator Dick Durbin. I interviewed the Senator before our program began. He talks about the importance of the highway system and renewable fuels like ethanol. He also pointed out how it took a doubling of the gasoline tax 50 years ago to raise the funds to get the interstate highway system going and he credits President Eisenhower with a lot of courage to get that done.

Listen to Senator Durbin here: Listen to MP3 Senator Dick Durbin Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

Army Having Fun

Chuck Zimmerman

Army GuysAt The World’s Largest Truck Stop they had a 1917 Army truck on display. Possibly one much like the ones involved in the cross country convoy in 1919 that Lt. Col. Eisenhower travelled with, which is one of the events we’re commemorating with our trip.

Here’s two of our army participants posing in their modern day uniforms. They look sharp don’t they?

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Uncategorized

World’s Largest Truck Stop

Chuck Zimmerman

World's Largest Truck StopOne of our stops on the way through Iowa was The World’s Largest Truck Stop. This stop is so big it has a trucking museum where we were greeted by local people and provided with some of the best pies I’ve eaten in a long time.

This is also a fueling stop that has ethanol in the pumps. Glad to see that.

You can find The World’s Largest Truck Stop off exit 284 (Interstate 80) in Walcott, IA.

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Uncategorized

EPIC Sponsors Local Event

Chuck Zimmerman

Joanna SchroederJoanna Schroeder works for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) which is an AASHTO Convoy sponsor and sponsor of Domestic Fuel and my trip. She came to our Iowa event to tell people about the good things that ethanol is doing for America. Besides sponsoring the convoy, EPIC also was one of the sponsors of the local Iowa event.

Joanna says that people need to demand ethanol because it’s good for the environment, good for your car’s engine and reduces our dependence on foreign oil. She says they’re developing a mechanics training module to teach mechanics about ethanol regardless of what blend they use.

Listen to Joanna here: Listen to MP3 Joanna Schroeder Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol

IA State University Ethanol Car

Chuck Zimmerman

Tony SartorWhen we got to Living History Farm in Urbandale, IA Tony Sartor, Iowa State University had an ethanol car on display.

Tony is the public relations man for the team of students who work on this car this year. He did a great interview.

Tony says that the engineering students build this car, which is a mini version of a Formula One or Indy race car, to compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers competition. They’re one of the only cars to use ethanol.

Listen to Tony here: Listen to MP3 Tony Sartor Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

IA Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson

Chuck Zimmerman

Sally PedersonThe Lt. Governor of Iowa met our convoy off of I-80 after we got into Iowa. She’s Sally Pederson (right), seen here with AASHTO staff members Jennifer Gavin (left) and Kathie Leyendecker.

When I spoke with the Lt. Governor she said she’s kicking off her own convoy tour around Iowa to promote tourism. I’m sure she’ll be doing some interstate miles. She thinks ethanol is very important to Iowa and is proud that Iowa is the number one ethanol producing state.

Listen to Lt. Gov. Pederson here: Listen to MP3 Lt. Governor Sally Pederson Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

Burn Ethanol In That Harley

Chuck Zimmerman

American Legion Riders of IowaBefore we were escorted into Living History Farms in Iowa I met with our escorts, the American Legion Riders of Iowa.

One of their group was volunteered by the others to do an interview. He’s Chuck Thompson. Chuck says he burns ethanol in his Harley with no problems and highly supports renewable fuels.

Listen to Chuck here: Listen to MP3 Chuck Thompson Interview (2 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, Ethanol

Convoy Rollout

Chuck Zimmerman

Convoy RolloutYou get just one post today. We rolled into Iowa and stopped just short of Urbandale to meet up with the Lt. Governor, Sally Pederson. I’ve been meaning to shoot a video clip of the convoy and finally did that.

Yes, we risk life and limb to bring you interesting pics and video. It’s been a long day with a fabulous celebration at Living History Farms and a stop at the Largest Truck Stop in the world and now we’re in Davenport. Tomorrow it’s on to Illinois and I’ll get caught up this weekend.

So watch our convoy roll out of a rest area this morning being led by the American Legion Riders: Watch wmv file Convoy Rollout (2 min WMV)

Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Video

Bill Would Keep Incentives in Place

Cindy Zimmerman

NBB A bill introduced this week in Congress would make the federal excise tax credits for renewable fuels permanent. According to a release from the National Biodiesel Board, Congressmen Kenny Hulshof (R-MO) and Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) introduced the Renewable Fuels and Energy Independence Promotion Act, which removes sunset provisions for ethanol and biodiesel incentives that accompanied the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), which took effect Jan. 1, 2005. It also makes permanent a small agri-biodiesel producer credit.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government

USDA Will Help Fund IA Biodiesel Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA RD Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced a loan guarantee and grant totaling $3.75 million for construction and operation of a new biodiesel production facility in Iowa.
Riksch BioFuels LLC will construct a plant near Crawfordsville, Iowa. Twenty-five investors, including farmers and business owners, already have raised over $3.3 million for the project and will receive $400,000 from the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

Biodiesel, Government