Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) visits with board members of Cooperative Energy Company last Wednesday at the group’s corporate office in Sibley to speak about concerns related to the energy sector.

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) speaks during his visit last Wednesday to Cooperative Energy Company in Sibley.

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) visits with board members of Cooperative Energy Company last Wednesday at the group’s corporate office in Sibley to speak about concerns related to the energy sector.

SIBLEY—U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra met last Wednesday morning with board members at Cooperative Energy Company in Sibley in a visit that focused on issues in the firm’s industry.

“Just to tell you why this is so important to me,” Feenstra said. “I sit on the Republican energy task force. What we’re trying to do is trying to create policy. We believe we’re going to take over the majority in November, and when you do that, you have the opportunity to change things and create policy. Our whole focus is that energy is so important to our country, especially trying to be self-reliant.”

He has traveled around the county to see what can be done in the energy sector, and make life a little easier for the farming community and businesses.

“What we’re to do is create a plan that is energy independent and sustainable. It starts with working with our fossil fuels and biofuels,” Feenstra said.

CEC general manager Brian Dreessen shared that gasoline, diesel fuel and propane are their core businesses. The company is one of the largest energy groups in Iowa.

“Our biggest struggle today is the infrastructure, with the pipeline sizes and the products available at the terminals,” Dreessen said. “We need more injector systems at these terminals.”

Feenstra asked if buyers balk at using biodiesel products.

“Believe it or not, it’s stronger than you think that they don’t want it,” Dreessen said. “When it first came out, it was nothing but issue after issue. We have honestly worked through all them. The product is a lot different today.”

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) speaks during his visit last Wednesday to Cooperative Energy Company in Sibley.

Educating the public is key to changing this viewpoint.

Mike Hildenbrand is the refined fuels district manager for CHS, a Minnesota-based company agricultural company, and was also at the meeting.

“The feeling I get in the country is biodiesel gets blamed for baldness to cancer,” Hildenbrand said.

Feenstra doesn’t see big investment coming on improvements in the infrastructure with so much uncertainty in government as to the long-term feasibility of these systems. The same applies to building new ethanol or biodiesel facilities.

“I think the regulatory climate, we’ve got to change it to make it easier for these companies to create the infrastructure. If you don’t have the infrastructure, it’s going to be catastrophic,” Feenstra said. “You have to have an administration that’s committed to biofuels, and that’s where we’re struggling right now.”

Workforce and the increased requirements for obtaining a commercial driver’s license were other concerns.

“We provide service to our members and our communities, and if we don’t have the people to do that, how are we going to keep that up,” Dreessen said.

Dreessen sees the desire for time off being as important as wages for new employees.

Making it more difficult to obtain trucking licenses and hazmat training puts a pinch on the workforce as well. Costs and time commitments discourage enrollment in programs. Drivers can end up waiting 3-4 months to receive licensing.

“It’s good to know who’s driving our hazardous materials around but for it to take that long doesn’t work,” Hildenbrand said.

Feenstra stated this is an issue everywhere, causing significant pinch points especially for the supply chain.

“It doesn’t matter what it is in the USA, I can guarantee you that product at some place touched a truck,” Dreessen said.

The impact of government regulations for CEC comes most heavily from the Department of Natural Resources.

“I understand the rules and regulations. I understand we’re protecting our environment,” Dreessen said. “But they can definitely ease some of that. The technology is out there.”

He also said the international marketplace has made it difficult to keep up with demand.

“In 2019, we didn’t know if we were going to have propane to heat houses because we were shipping so fast overseas,” Dreessen said.

Inconsistencies in climate policy are another source of frustration.

“Our country comes first, and we need to be energy independent,” Feenstra said. “We’ve got the cleanest form of energy anywhere. We’re 60 percent cleaner than Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, yet we’re buying from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The same people who want to try and make all this stuff clean, yet they’re OK to buy product from them. It makes no sense.”

Producing enough electricity to supply the influx of electric vehicles is another concern.

Dreessen gave an example from the ice storm that hit Texas in February 2021.

“We had to kick all our generators on and make our own electricity, so they could ship all of our electricity there,” Dreessen said. “Spencer, Iowa — I had to be in there every three hours with a 7,500-gallon load of diesel to keep those generators running.”

Diesel use was down this spring, but board members thought a bigger reason was an easier planting season more so than cutting back on usage.

“We’re concerned coming into this harvest maybe about supply, so we are telling guys don’t sit empty,” Hildenbrand said.

Feenstra closed by restating his mission as a congressman.

“I just want to be your voice. I’m hearing what you’re saying,” Feenstra said. “Not that I can magically make it change, but definitely work toward, whether it be workforce, whether it be CDLs, infrastructure, things like that. I take this very seriously. I’m a policy guy. We’re here to help.”

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Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.

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