March 12, 2026

Encouraging Coal Divestment in Cedar Falls, Iowa

By Matt Ohloff, Policy Advocate

MidAmerican Energy, a major utility based in Des Moines, publicly touts a 100% renewable energy vision. At the same time, it continues to operate one of the largest coal plant fleets in the country. 

Its aging coal plants are costly, polluting, and harmful to public health — contributing to roughly 90 premature deaths each year in Iowa and adding more than $140 million annually in health care costs. Coal pollution also harms agriculture, with crop losses in many counties tied to air and water contamination. Meanwhile, Iowans are paying nearly $50 million in excess costs from coal generation — even as wind and solar become cheaper and more reliable. 

The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) is part of a broad coalition encouraging local utilities and cooperatives to move away from MidAmerican’s coal plants and invest in cleaner, homegrown energy. 

A Chance to Lead in Cedar Falls 

Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU), a municipal utility in Cedar Falls, offers a prime example of how Iowa communities can divest from dirty coal and take control of their energy future. 99% of the power generation that CFU owns is fossil fuels – mainly coal, natural gas, and oil. Notably, CFU owns more coal generation than any other municipal utility in Iowa, and over 30% of its power it owns is in minority shares of MidAmerican’s coal plants.  

But by investing directly in utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage — locally or through partnerships with other Iowa utilities — CFU can replace coal, reduce reliance on volatile natural gas, and ensure stable electricity costs for residents. 

Cedar Falls benefits from having a city-owned utility, giving it more control over electricity generation than most communities. This flexibility allows CFU to invest in clean energy projects that are cheaper and faster to build than fossil fuel plants. CFU can also adopt smart technologies, including smart thermostats and demand-response programs, to encourage residents to use energy more efficiently when the grid is stressed.  

CFU already operates energy efficiency programs and has options for customer-owned solar and wind installations. These are important tools, but they are not enough. The state of Iowa generates over 60% of its electricity with renewable sources. If Cedar Falls wants to keep pace with the rest of Iowa on clean energy and a healthier future, it will require proactive local action to replace fossil fuels with healthy, clean power. 

Turning Opportunity into Action 

ELPC is engaging with Cedar Falls’ city leaders and CFU to highlight opportunities for replacing coal reliance with local solar, wind, and battery storage projects.  Local utilities like CFU can demonstrate that communities don’t need to wait for major utilities like MidAmerican to act first. By investing in homegrown solar, wind, storage, and efficiency, Cedar Falls can lead the way in proving that clean energy is not only possible but better for residents, the economy, and the environment. Iowa’s clean energy future depends on these kinds of local decisions — and Cedar Falls is perfectly positioned to show what’s possible.

If you live in Cedar Falls and want CFU to invest in your future, not fossil fuels, sign the petition below.

SIGN THE PETITION