BOISE, Idaho -- Idaho is hoping to harness the power of the cow pie to power homes and cars and shoot electricity in power grids across the state.

The state's mountains of manure are fueling dreams of pipelines linking waste treatment facilities at dairies large and small to central refineries that produce natural gas pure enough for homes or cars.

Paul Kjellander, who leads the state's Office of Energy Resources, is asking for the passage of a package of income tax credits, property tax waivers and other incentives during the Idaho State Legislature's 2009 session next month to get the ball rolling.

The hope is that processed manure could be sold as plant bedding and dairies could also fire turbines, shooting electricity into the power grid. And they could sell carbon credits in schemes to slash greenhouse gas emissions.

The state is also promoting the conversion of more vehicles so that they can run on natural gas created from the methane. The effort includes a link on the state's energy resources department Web site explaining the benefits of natural gas vehicles and how existing vehicles can be converted.

According to the organization Natural Gas Vehicle for America, it can cost between $12,500 to $22,500 to convert a vehicle to run on natural gas. However, part of that cost can be recouped through federal tax credits.

Idaho, with 550,000 cows, is now the United State's No. 3 milk producer, trailing California and Wisconsin. Other states are also trying to whet potential manure investors' appetites.