With our sunny days, windy plains and strong agricultural traditions, Iowa has plenty of homegrown sources of clean energy. But for too long, Iowa has relied on dirty, imported coal to meet our electricity needs. Iowa can be a leader for using clean sources—not dangerous coal—to generate our energy.

Homegrown renewable energy is good for our environment and our economy, both urban and rural. Clean energy keeps pollution out of our air, rivers and lakes, including toxic mercury, particulate matter or “soot” that harms our lungs, and global warming pollutants like carbon dioxide. And encouraging schools, farmers and small businesses to use solar or wind energy on their property can help develop our economy and keep energy costs down.

Environment Iowa is calling on the Legislature during the 2007 session to adopt clean energy policies that will cut back on the dangers of burning coal and reap economic benefits by turning our future toward wind, solar and biomass energy.

• Establish a clean energy standard of 20 percent by 2020—a benchmark for Iowa to become a leader in providing energy to our citizens and even for export.
• Make it easier for clean energy projects to contribute to the grid so homeowners, small businesses and farmers can tap into our wind, solar and biomass energy.
• Reinvest in an alternate energy revolving loan fund that helps small, clean energy projects get up and running.

Many states have already adopted clean energy standards. Iowa’s existing standard is outdated, but we can surpass our neighbors in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois with a 20 percent by 2020 standard.

Iowa must also do more to allow schools, farmers and small businesses to put up a small solar array or wind turbine. By improving our net metering rules and providing better technical and financial assistance, more Iowans can meet our state’s energy needs with clean, renewable energy. Doing this will improve the environment and allow rural economies to reap the benefits.

No more dirty coal
In addition to the policies that will help build new renewable energy, Environment Iowa is calling on the Legislature to ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants for at least two years. With several proposed coal plants in the works,
including an active one in Waterloo, a coal moratorium is more important than ever.

States across the country are facing an explosion of new coal-fired power plants, known as the “Coal Rush.” According
to a report our staff released in July, over 150 coal plants are being proposed across the country. There are at least three new proposals in Iowa. Burning coal is the biggest source of global warming pollution in Iowa, as well as other pollutants like mercury and soot. If Iowa is serious about becoming a renewable energy leader, we must break company with outdated, dirty coal-fired power plants.

Environment Iowa has also begun work at the federal level, with the New Energy Future agenda we launched in September. The plan, which would save a third of the oil we use today and cut our energy use 10 percent by 2025, has attracted the support of members of Congress, environmentalists, energy experts, hundreds of state and national environmental groups and thousands of ordinary citizens.