DES MOINES — A statewide environmental group issued its 2007 legislative priorities this week, calling for a moratorium on building new coal-fired power plants in Iowa and giving local communities the authority to decide where large livestock operations are sited.
Environment Iowa, a nonprofit, non-partisan statewide citizen-based research organization, also wants the General Assembly to set a renewable energy standard that would require at least 20 percent of Iowa’s electricity production to come from renewable sources by 2020, spokesman Nathaniel Baer said.
‘‘We’re optimistic’’ about the chances for getting priorities approved, given that a number of the proposals were discussed during the 2006 campaign, he said Wednesday. ‘‘We think
these would make sense economically and protect our environment. It’s an exciting time.’’ Baer said his group also endorsed the findings of a legislative study committee that recommended the state dedicate a funding stream of $150 million over 10 years to protect and preserve Iowa’s state parks, natural areas and environmental programs.
‘‘Every stream and river should be clean enough for fishing, swimming, and drinking,’’ the group said in a 2007 legislative priorities position paper. ‘‘We must not allow polluters to jeopardize our precious waterways.’’
To that end, Environment Iowa supported legislation that would:
- Give local communities the authority to decide where new factory farms are sited.
- Increase the distance between new factory farms and streams, rivers, parks and other important natural areas so that the farms do not pollute.
- Tighten the construction permit standard to require most proposed new factory farms to obtain permits, regardless of the number of animals involved.
Environment Iowa also supports incentives for local farmers to convert conventional acreage to organic uses, establishing a comprehensive study of the quantity and quality of Iowa’s surface and ground water resources, and creating a plan for Iowa to assess and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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