In Iowa, Global Warming Tops the List
Friday, June 6, 2008
The State of Iowa is moving forward on Global Warming solutions - and the Iowa Global Warming Campaign is leading the charge. IGW is a visible (and audible!) presence in the state; on the airwaves of local radio and television stations, educating the public at major events, and engaging with elected officials at the state and federal levels. Our staff and volunteers have been very active in providing comment to the Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council, which has been working throughout 2008 to produce recommendations for the Governor and Legislature in December. With almost 3,000 supporters and dozens of active volunteers, we are poised to make a major impact on 2009 Global Warming legislation; and on solutions including energy efficiency, renewable energy standards, and transportation needs such as passenger rail service and clean cars.
Clean Water Enforcement
Iowans care about water quality, and ELPC is working with state partners such as the Iowa Environmental Council, the Sierra Club, and the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association, to protect Iowa’s rivers, lakes and streams from pollution. We are working to implement and enforce the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act by improving water quality standards and ensuring Iowa dischargers’ compliance with their permits. ELPC is also working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to implement federally-required “anti degradation” procedures that will help keep clean water clean by requiring polluters to consider alternatives to water pollution before being issued a discharge permit. These new rules will be presented to the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission this fall
Interconnection Standards
ELPC is working in Iowa to increase the use of less-polluting, energy efficient, and renewable electricity generation. One goal is to reduce reliance on old, dirty, centralized power plants and advance “distributed generation” of clean energy – like wind turbines and solar panels.
In order to accomplish this structural shift, state policies must be reformed. ELPC has been working to persuade the Iowa Utilities Board to adopt statewide interconnection standards to streamline the process of connecting distributed resources to the utility grid. The fees, delays, and seemingly arbitrary requirements that often predominate in the absence of standardized rules are one of the most serious barriers to widespread investment in clean energy. The Board has tentatively agreed to move forward with standards based on “best practices” and has requested input from ELPC and others this fall
Energy Efficiency
Increasing the efficiency of electricity and natural gas use is often the cheapest and easiest way to reduce global warming pollution and conserve natural resources. Iowa law requires Iowa utilities to develop and implement five-year “energy efficiency plans” that describe programs the utilities will use to help their customers save energy. ELPC is representing the Iowa Environmental Council and the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club in proceedings before the Iowa Utilities Board to review and improve the utilities’ energy efficiency plans for 2009-2013. ELPC and the Iowa Global Warming Solutions campaign will also be working to implement renewable energy, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas pollution reduction policies across Iowa.
High Speed Rail
In an era of $4/gallon gasoline, expressway congestion at all hours, airport capacity constraints, and a shrinking pool of rural transportation choices, the Midwest needs improved passenger rail service now more than ever. At ELPC’s urging, Amtrak has completed studies for service between Chicago and Iowa City via the Quad Cities, and work is ongoing to study the feasibility of an extension to Des Moines. The studies show that new service between Iowa City and Chicago could be developed at a capital cost of only $55 million, with annual operating costs of $6 million. With these costs divided between Illinois and Iowa, such service is easily affordable without federal assistance. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) have already written to Amtrak in support of this proposal. ELPC is now working to build public and legislative support for the necessary funding.
Tags: Iowa
