July 3, 2007

Senate committee OKs biofuel lab money

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $1million for a 
proposed biofuels testing lab in Fort Dodge. The money would pay for 
equipment for the lab, which would be part of Iowa Central Community 
College.

The money was included in an energy and water appropriations bill approved 
by the committee on Thursday. The bill must be approved by the full Senate, 
the House and President Bush before the money could be disbursed.

The lab would check the quality of ethanol and biodiesel samples and 
possibly establish national standards for biofuels. The Iowa Legislature 
approved $250,000 for the lab earlier this year. Construction is expected to 
begin this fall.
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OPINION

Make Iowa bike-friendly all year
Regional vision, funding source could create world-class trails.

In a few weeks, people from all over the world will be vacationing in Iowa. 
They'll be here to ride their bikes across our great state on RAGBRAI XXXV.

They're coming from all 50 states, the Virgin Islands and 21 foreign 
countries, including Australia, Japan, Norway and Saudi Arabia. Ten thousand 
riders and thousands more support people will enjoy Iowa's small towns and 
hospitality for a week.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070703/OPINION03/707030372/1035/archive
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Good trails would make cycling safe across region
By ANDIE DOMINICK
REGISTER EDITORIAL WRITER

A few weeks ago, I biked from my house in northwest Des Moines to Jordan 
Creek Mall in West Des Moines. Someone told me there was a bike trail 
leading there. Hardly.

I rode busy streets to get to a "trail head" that led to a patchwork of 
trails that sometimes ended abruptly, dumping me into residential areas 
without a clue as to where the trail might pick up again. There were no 
signs telling me where I was or which way to go. I didn't bring a compass 
along.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070703/OPINION03/707030373/1035/archive
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