(Des Moines)– New figures show biofuels companies made up more than half of the top 50 recipients awarded state aid since 2003, when the state began tallying the public assistance.
The figures were compiled by the Des Moines Register under Iowa’s Open Records Law.
Locally, biofuels plants in Albert City and Hartley owned by Texas oil giant Valero Energy were among the five plants in the state topping the list of companies awarded the most in tax breaks and other assistance with some $59 million since 2003.
Four plants in Iowa owned by Koch Industries-run Flint Hills Resources were awarded $40.8 million.
Critics question the amount of public money pumped into the industry, saying the state’s corn supply would have seen the biofuel plants locate in Iowa anyway.
(From the Associated Press.).
