According to the U-S Department of Treasury, the guidance issued Friday provided clarity on eligibility for the credit and how lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions will be determined. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said “This guidance will help put America on the cutting-edge of future innovation in aviation and renewable fuel while also lowering transportation costs for consumers.” A press release from the Treasury said the department intends to release its Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies, or GREET, model for determining 45z emissions rates “in the coming days.”

The tax credit was announced in 2023 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and was set to give a per-gallon tax credit on fuel produced with in a set range of lifetime emissions guidelines.  Monte Shaw said since September, IRFA and other industry groups have been calling on the Treasury to issue a safe harbor rule that would use existing carbon models to estimate the value of credits while the department finalizes its guidelines. Shaw says “We have biodiesel plants that are sitting idle today, that are not running, because they don’t know what the value of the credit is. Feedstock suppliers don’t know how to price the feedstock, biodiesel producers don’t know what to pay for them.”

Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC in Council Bluffs. (Photo courtesy of David Kosling, USDA AudioVisual Production Specialist)

Shaw said he presumes the incoming administration will want to put “more than a few fingerprints” on the intended regulations that were issued by the Treasury. To him, that means Iowa biofuels plants cannot claim the credits “with any certainty or lack of risk” under the unfinalized rules.  Shaw says “Iowa biofuels plants, collectively, made hundreds of millions of dollars of investments based on this 45z program that’s supposed to be here for ‘25, ‘26 and ‘27 and right now they can’t access it.” He said IRFA will work with the Trump administration and hopes to get rules for the credit, or a safe harbor, in place as soon as possible.

(Creston, Iowa) – In an update to our previous post, the Creston Police Department says a Ringgold County man was arrested this (Monday) morning. 20-year-old Braydon Michael Swietlik, of Tingley, was taken into custody at around 1:45-a.m., for Driving While Barred. Swietlik was subsequently released on a $2,000 bond.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report four recent arrests:

Thursday night (Jan. 9th), 43-year-old Erik Speed, of Creston, was arrested for Assault. He was released on a Promise to Appear (in court).

Friday afternoon, Creston Police arrested 45-year-old Lela Ann Churchwell, of Creston, for Public Intoxication. She was transported to the Adams County Jail and held on a $300 bond.

At around 1:46-a.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 38-year-old Christopher Paul Stolk, of Creston, for OWI/1st offense. He later posted a $1,000 bond, and was released.

Early Sunday morning, 36-year-old Vaughan Gordon Long, of Red Deer, Alberta Canada, was arrested in Creston for OWI/1st offense. Long later posted a $1,000 bond, and was released.

(Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Most Americans continue to support the legalization of cannabis, as the medical use of cannabis is legal in 40 states and the District of Columbia and recreational cannabis is legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Early indications are the second Trump administration will continue the cannabis legalization policies of the Biden administration, including the rescheduling of cannabis at the federal level. Although three of four state ballot measures for recreational legalization failed in the November 2024 election (Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota), as many as five states are projected to legalize it in 2025. Iowa is increasingly becoming the exception.

Like most public policy issues, expanding the availability of medicinal cannabis products and legalizing recreational cannabis sales in Iowa is complex. Social justice, health, law enforcement, employment, agriculture and many other elements are part of the legalization movement and counter-movement. Ultimately, some observers say, it’s about the money: the potential tax revenues that the state coffers may eventually need after cutting the income tax rate and administration spending to the bone and then spending significantly more on the private school tuition voucher program. Mike Tramontina, former state deputy treasurer and former director of the Iowa Department of Management, says the Republican-controlled state Legislature and administration have “walked into a fiscal trap.”

“The state has a strong financial balance now, primarily because of federal money and the strong economy. Public education, natural resources, regulation of nursing homes and every form of regulation have been cut much further than they should. The overspending for private school vouchers will continue to escalate rapidly,” Tramontina said. Estimated to cost $106.9 million during the first year (2023–24), private school voucher spending totaled $128 million. The projected cost for the 2024–25 school year was $132.3 million, but the Legislature approved $179.2 million. Critics of the program say most of that money subsidizes affluent households with children already attending private schools. “When it becomes apparent the state will experience shortfalls, it will need new revenue. The Legislature, as in most Republican-dominated states, dare not go for more income and sales tax. The taxes on cigarette and alcohol sales are already quite high. They will need a new sin tax and, I predict, it will be the legalization of cannabis,” Tramontina added.

Robust Cannabis has a 75,000-square-foot greenhouse in Missouri, one of the states Iowans visit to buy cannabis products that are illegal in their home state. (Photo by Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent)

He estimates the state will need $40 million to $50 million in new revenues and the current and very limited Medical Cannabidiol Program will never generate those amounts. Although statistics are difficult to find, Iowans who want to purchase either medicinal or recreational cannabis can drive a few hours or even minutes across the borders into Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri, boosting the economies and tax revenues of those states. Last fall, Iowa House Democrats listed the legalization of cannabis for adult use as one of their primary legislative initiatives for 2025. During a news conference in September, House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst predicted Gov. Kim Reynolds would likely oppose any cannabis legislation from Democrats during 2025, although about 60% of Iowans support legalization.

As is the case in many other states, the legalization of recreational cannabis and the expansion of the current legal medical cannabis program in Iowa will continue to be a hot issue. Internal and external forces will determine whether and when the majority of Iowans who support the legalization of recreational cannabis and a majority of Iowa legislators, who don’t, will agree the time has come.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking for the public’s help with a carcass dumping investigation. The DNR says five dead deer were found at the Highway 44 boat ramp of the Raccoon River, in Dallas County.

In Iowa, it is illegal to leave a dead animal without disposing of it in a timely manner. If you have any information, call 515-883-0228 or email dustin.eghmy@dnr.iowa.gov.

The DNR says you can remain anonymous and there could be a reward for your tip.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will discuss and likely approve 2025 Bridge Embargoes during their meeting that begins at 9-a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 14), in Red Oak. Bridge embargoes are designed to prevent accidents involving overweight vehicles that cause damage to a bridge, such as what occurred in Audubon County in October, 2008, when a farmer was hauling a load of corn across a four span wood bridge. The structure collapsed and a grain wagon dropped into a creek. At the time, officials said the load likely weighed about 70,800 pounds, with ~64,800 bearing on the single cart axle. Along with his tractor the total load was around 90,0000 pounds. The posted bridge weight limit was 9-tons.

Bridge collapse under heavy grain/tractor load in Audubon County (2008 file photo)

In other business, the Montgomery County Supervisors will discuss and likely approve:

• Signors for Treasurer’s Bank Accounts
• The Treasure’s Semi-Annual Report, ending fund balance for Dec. 31, 2024, in the amount of $13,065,329.08
• A Resolution naming Depositories
• Board and Committee appointments to:
  • The Planning & Zoning Commission
  • Eminent Domain Compensation Commission.

Their next regular meeting will be Jan. 21st, at 9-a.m.

*Please note the Jan. 14th meeting is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85039693411

Meeting ID: 850 3969 3411

Dial by your location   +1 312 626 6799 If you are calling in, Press *9 to raise your hand if you wish to speak.31

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold a Budget Work Session throughout the day, Tuesday (Jan. 14th). Their session begins at 9-a.m. with discussion about wages. They’ll then dive into worksheets pertaining to: Courthouse Expenses; Zoning; Capital Projects; The Cass County Fair; The County Farm; and Economic Development (The Valley Business Park). The Board will receive funding requests from: Cass County Libraries; Hungry Canyons; and the Cass County Fair Association.

Other department budget requests will be received as follows:

10:00 AM – Other Departments
a. Sanitarian – Dept. 14
b. Medical Examinations – Dept. 27
c. 2017 Agribusiness (TIF) – Dept. 33
d. Local Option Sales Tax – Dept. 50
e. Road Clearing – Dept. 62
f. Weed Eradication – Dept. 54
g. Insurance Trust Fund – Dept. 55
h. Transfers – Dept 91, 92, 98
i. Non-Departmental – Dept. 99

11:00 AM – Auditor
1:00 PM – Attorney
2:00 PM – Sheriff

The Work Session will take place in-person, and electronically, via:

Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064

Call In
312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

(Radio Iowa) – Two studies reveal a proposed casino in Cedar Rapids would shift tens of millions of dollars from nearby casinos in Riverside and Waterloo. The two studies were commissioned by state gambling regulators who are set to vote in February on the application for the Cedar Crossing casino. Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell points to the part of the studies indicating the casino would generate over 100 MILLION dollars in revenue by the end of the decade. “I think competition will help those existing entities be better and that’s what I see in those numbers,” O’Donnell says, “because the numbers I see (show) the market’s ready, the market’s ready here for a casino in the state’s second largest city.”

Patty Koller is the Executive Director of the Washington County Riverboat Foundation, the non-profit that holds the license for the Riverside Casino. She points to parts of the market studies that show new casino could siphon as much as 68 million dollars from its competitors. “It’s just a distribution of the clientele,” she says. “It’s not a huge advantage to bring in new casino patrons, it’s just distributing the ones that already exist.”

The foundation and Riverside Casino have filed a petition with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, arguing the wording in the 2021 Linn County gambling referendum is flawed, so the Cedar Rapids casino application should be tossed.

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines Police say a suspect is in custody for the attempted murder of a man and a woman at a social club a few blocks from the Iowa Capitol. The shooting happened in the early morning hours of March 24th and an arrest warrant was issued a few days later for 26-year-old Cori Jayvon Shields.

Cori Jayvon Shields was booked into the Polk County Jail on 1/10/25. (Polk County photo)

Des Moines Police say he was taken into custody in Illinois this past October — and in mid-November a gun was recovered from a storm drain near the social club that is likely the gun that was used in the shooting. Shields has been transferred from Illinois and was booked into the Polk County Jail late Friday afternoon.

(Radio Iowa) – More than 800 volunteers are needed one week from today (Monday) at three locations in central and western Iowa for an effort to fight hunger. Dani Reick is spokeswoman for the non-profit Meals from the Heartland, which is hosting meal packaging events on Martin Luther King Junior Day at facilities in Des Moines, West Des Moines, and Omaha/Council Bluffs. “We’re looking to have roughly about 260,000 total meals packaged for that entire day for all three locations,” Rieck says. “They’ll be packaging our ingredients, like the noodles that go into the taco mac, and the seasonings that go in the taco mac as well.” Since 2008, Rieck says the organization has packaged and distributed almost 250-million meals which have gone to children and families in need in Iowa, across the U.S., and around the world.

“All of our taco mac bags all stay local,” Rieck says. “So for Des Moines, those are going to go to local food pantries, and at the Omaha location, they’ll go to the Food Bank for the Heartland.” All volunteers will go through a brief training session, then they’ll head out to the floor to directly impact Iowa families in need. “They’ll be put into an assembly line-type of packaging system. So typically we do about eight to 10 people at a table, and then they’ll work together as a team to package one bag at a time. It typically goes a lot quicker than that,” she says, “and shifts are typically about two hours long.”

Photo courtesy Meals from the Heartland

About 135 volunteers are needed at Polk County River Place in Des Moines, 160 volunteers at the Embassy Suites in Omaha’s Old Market, and 520 volunteers are needed at the organization’s West Des Moines Packaging Center. Individuals, families and groups can sign up for any of the three locations here: https://mealsfromtheheartland.org/mlk-day-2025/