http://craig.senate.gov/press/

For Immediate Release:
April 7, 2008

Craig Tours Iogen's Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

Ottawa, Canada — Idaho Senator Larry Craig traveled here today to tour the pre-commercial Iogen cellulosic demonstration plant and meet with CEO Brian Foody to discuss proposed plans for the first cellulosic ethanol commercial plant in Shelley, Idaho.

The Senator also visited with Canadian officials and the U.S. Ambassador to Canada to discuss issues important to both Idaho and Canada.

Craig traveled to Ottawa from Boise at the invitation of the Canadian government to see firsthand Iogen's novel cellulosic ethanol technology. Cellulosic ethanol is a process that allows fuel alcohol to be made from abundant plant waste—like wheat and barley straw, corn stover and switchgrass—instead of food grade corn.

Craig initiated efforts nearly five years ago to convince Iogen to build its first U.S. plant in Idaho. As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Craig was instrumental in including grant and loan guarantee programs in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize the Department of Energy to provide loans for cellulosic ethanol. DOE issued final regulations for that program last October, and Iogen was one of only 16 projects invited to apply.

Foody emerged from his meeting with Craig and made the following statement, "We are excited about the potential for building a cellulosic ethanol facility in Idaho. We are working hard to make this project a success and are actively engaged with the Department of Energy to advance the project. With the recent passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, America has some of the most visionary policies in the world for renewable fuels, in no small part because of the work done by Idaho’s Senator Larry Craig."

Craig responded, "Idaho is the ideal partner for Iogen because our state is on the cutting edge of finding clean alternative solutions to our nation’s dependence on foreign oil."

The Senator's discussions with Iogen officials focused on proposed plans for building an initial plant as early as 2009 that would create at least 100 permanent high quality jobs and about 200 temporary construction jobs. If built, Craig said such a plant could produce 18 million gallons of ethanol annually and could boost area farm revenues by an estimated $16 per acre.

As a guest of the Canadian government, under the provisions of the Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Act, Craig also held meetings Monday with Canadian agriculture and energy officials and received a briefing from U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins. He also met with a Canadian Member of Parliament, Rob Merrifield.

Idaho Grain Producers president Matt Gellings and staff of Idaho Representative Mike Simpson accompanied Craig on the tour of the Iogen plant.

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