As the new home of Iowa PIRG's environmental work, Environment Iowa can be contacted with any questions regarding this news release.
Iowa PIRG, the
Iowa Public Interest Research Group, and the Sierra Club greeted former President
Clinton and presidential candidates today during their visit to Indianola by
calling on them to support a clean energy future. They specifically cited the
need for a greater investment in renewable energy, stronger fuel efficiency
standards, and protection of public lands from oil and gas drilling.
"Iowans deserve a safe,
clean, affordable energy future," said Amber Hard for Iowa PIRG. "We
urge all presidential candidates to support efforts to make us less reliant
on dirty and dangerous energy."
In 2000, Iowa generated
97 percent of its electricity from fossil fuels and nuclear power and only one
percent from renewable sources, such as wind. Coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels,
accounted for 85 percent of the state's electricity mix, making Iowa one of
the most coal-dependent states in the country. However, Iowa has tremendous
capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources. Iowa ranks tenth in
the country for the most renewable energy potential. By fully tapping into its
technical potential for wind power alone, Iowa could generate 21 times the electricity
it currently generates from dirty energy sources. Iowa's total generation potential
from wind, clean biomass and landfill gas is 925.5 billion kilowatt hours (kWh)—enough
to power 93 million homes.
"When presidential
candidates visit states like Iowa, they need to explain how they would lead
us to a clean energy future as president to help us save consumers money and
create new jobs," said Jane Clark, Chapter Chair of the Iowa Sierra Club.
For example, a national
renewable standard of 20 percent power generation by 2020 could save consumers
at least $4.5 billion per year by 2020, reduce global warming emissions from
power plants by one-third, and decrease smog and soot-forming pollution. Iowa
would also gain an estimated 14,700 jobs from implementing such a standard by
2020, according to a Tellus Institute study.
For over 30 years the oldest,
dirtiest coal-burning power plants in Iowa have circumvented the most protective
federal air emissions standards required of modern plants. As a result, these
so-called "grandfathered" power plants are permitted to emit as much
as 10 times more nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide than modern coal plants.
A report released by Clear the Air and the Clean Air Task Force found in 2000,
power plant pollution caused 299 deaths and 211 hospitalizations for Iowa. The
state also experienced 45,500 lost work days and 235,000 restricted activity
days as a result of air pollution in 2000.
Polluting coal-fired power
plants must be made to comply with modern emissions control standards. In addition,
the nation's power fleet should be held to stringent caps on all four of the
key power plant pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, mercury
and carbon dioxide. The deaths, hospitalizations and lost work time caused by
fine particles from power plants can be reduced comprehensively only when the
Clean Air Act's 30-year loophole for old, dirty power plants is finally closed.
Requirements such as these can ensure that U.S. energy policy better accounts
for the public health and environmental costs associated with electricity production.
"America's energy policies
need to propel us toward a more sustainable energy future that relies increasingly
on renewable energy resources and conservation," Clark said.
"We can protect public
health, create jobs and secure our energy future by utilizing newer, cleaner
sources of energy, like solar and wind, and by cleaning up air pollution from
old, coal-burning power plants," concluded Hard.
Sierra Club and Iowa PIRG
are working together to call on all the candidates seeking the presidency to
back clean energy solutions to solve Iowa's energy problems.
