Note: today's clips contain news published since Friday, when the area 'twisters' cut out cable services. Also, it's worth mentioning that Ken and myself are going to be hosting our office opening party next Monday evening. An official invite via email will go out soon, but I wanted to let everyone know how happy we'd be to see you if you can make it.


IA Energy/Environment/Politics News for Monday, June 25

Burlington Hawk Eye: 'Walmart: Rethink, reduce waste"
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/Wal_Mart_recycle_24

Burlington Hawk Eye(AP): 'Fueling Change'
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/p0717_BC_Congress_Energy_2ndLd_Writethru_06_22_0867

Council Bluffs Nonpareil: 'ISU New Century Farm is biofuels boost'
http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=18511430&BRD=2703&PAG=461&dept_id=553867&rfi=8

Des Moines Register: 'Iowa radio ads urge Gore to run'
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070625/NEWS09/70625025/1001

Des Moines Register: 'Straw poll details jell'
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070625/NEWS/70625033/1001

Des Moines Register OpEd: 'Biofuels better than oil by any measure" - IRFA
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706240312

Des Moines Register OpEd: 'Cattle producers: promote grazing, fund conservation" - CRP
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706250305

Des Moines Register OpEd: 'Ethanol ramp-up requires greater care of soil, water'
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706250306

Des Moines Register Letters: 'Calling on Grassley to commit to clean energy' - below
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706240311

Des Moines Register Editorial: Iowa's role in leading on environment - at bottom
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706240303

Mason City Globe-Gazette: 'China bars corn ethanol due to food costs'
http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2007/06/24/opinion/doc467caa5bb3acc384120324.txt

Mason City Globe-Gazette: 'Water bottles piling up in landfills'
http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2007/06/25/opinion/doc467efb9c6824d288162878.txt

Ottumwa Courier: 'OGS awaiting switchgrass results' - replacing coal
http://www.ottumwacourier.com/archivesearch/local_story_171223601.html

Quad Cities Online(AP): Obama launches first TV ads in Iowa
http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=343830

Quad Cities Online: 'Mother Jones Cafe Bookstore finds new home' - worth visiting
http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=343911&query=

Quad City Times: 'Ethanol races to front of energy debate'
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/06/24/opinion/opinion/doc467d9adb196de563103718.txt

Quad City Times: 'State spending bill swells with pet projects'
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/04/23/news/state/doc462d858e1107d809034270.txt

Sioux City Journal: 'Tyson forms deal to make synthetic diesel'
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/06/25/news/latest_news/6f94390d61227939862573050057c0ac.txt

Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier: 'Water towers use gravity, go with flow'
http://wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/06/25/features/lifestyles/fc2036e1f877616c8625730200500563.txt

Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier: 'Ethanol in the fast lane' - KISS, racing, ethanol
http://wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/06/25/business/local/df85096a11ad6b6386257305004c3733.txt

--


MSNBC: 'Battle over energy policy still underway'
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19374241/

MSNBC: 'Tyson foods to turn animal fat to fuel"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19420483/

Newsweek: 'This needs to change - a new energy plan for America' - good
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16288772/site/newsweek/

NY Times: 'Senate Adopts Energy Bill Raising Mileage'
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/us/22energy.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin

Toledo Blade Editorial: 'The carbon fuel conundrum' - coal and climate
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070622/OPINION02/706220302/-1/OPINION

Washington Post: 'Automakers eye House after Senate'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/25/AR2007062500467.html

Washington Post(AP): 'Rich Nations Blamed for Global Warming'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/25/AR2007062500115.html

Washington Post(AP): 'Looking at Thompson's Lobbying Career'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/25/AR2007062500885.html

Washington Post Editorial: 'Some New Energy - now, a carbon tax'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/24/AR2007062401331.html?sub=AR




--

Calling on Grassley to renew commitment to clean energy

June 24, 2007

Nearly three-quarters of our electricity nationwide is derived from fossil fuels. This practice has dirtied our foreign policy and environment, leaving a cloudy forecast. The capacity to change, to reinvent our energy legacy, is within our grasp. A federal renewable energy standard will bolster national security, provide new economic opportunities, clean the air and help to stem climate change.

Twenty-three states have passed renewable energy standards, with renewable power booming in states such as Colorado and Texas. Iowa is in the top four in wind-energy production, thanks largely to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley's past leadership, which included tax incentives for renewable energy. I'm counting on Grassley to renew his leadership and support the firm action we need.

Last Thursday, the Senate passed a non-binding resolution sponsored by Grassley that states that "by 2025, America's farms, forests and ranches will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States." While this is a step to solve some energy problems, focus needs to be put on clean, abundant, renewable energy sources: wind and solar.

Fortunately, Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico introduced a bill that would require utilities to get 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. This holds great promise for the safety and health of Americans and the environment while bringing home the gold for Iowans.

I sincerely hope and expect Grassley to act responsibly by supporting Bingaman's renewable energy standard.

- Devin Hartman,

Ames.

-

Here is a moment of truth for U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley: The Senate is currently debating a comprehensive energy bill that will finally get our country on the right path to sensible energy use and production. Right now this bill is being held hostage by Republican senators who want to maintain the status quo - no doubt seen as a positive by their big-utility campaign contributors.

A vote on this legislation from any Iowa lawmaker should be a no-brainer. We hear all the time that Iowa is a leader in energy and alternative fuels. We have no big-car manufacturing plants in our state. We are building wind turbines and producing biofuels. How could Grassley vote against this? In fact, you would assume he'd be signed on as a sponsor of this legislation, which would bring money to Iowa businesses and more jobs home.

OK, senator, do you stand with Iowa or with lobbyists and party loyalists?

--

Hunter: Iowans can take dominant role in finding answers for environment
CAROL HUNTER
THE REGISTER

June 24, 2007

Can Iowa be a leader in finding solutions to global climate change? The idea is not so far-fetched.

For starters, as the top producer of corn-grain ethanol, Iowa is also poised to take the lead in producing ethanol from cellulose, or plant fibers. That's a much more energy-efficient process.

In addition, the know-how of Iowa farmers and the expertise in plant sciences of faculty at Iowa State University can be brought to bear in figuring out how best to grow, till and harvest plants to put carbon back in the soil. Carbon dioxide is the most common of the greenhouse gases, which trap the sun's heat.

Iowans also can translate their growing concerns about global warming into pressure on local, state and national leaders to make the issue a top priority.

Some welcome steps already have been taken. In its 2007 session, the Iowa Legislature began positioning the state to address greenhouse-gas reductions. In April, Gov. Chet Culver signed legislation to establish a climate-change advisory council and set up a tracking system for global-warming emissions.

And last weekend, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie convened a conference of more than 100 state government representatives and elected officials from across Iowa to brainstorm ways for city governments to save energy and use cleaner fuels.

One of the leadoff speakers, Kevin Brubaker of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, presented a David Letterman-style top-five countdown of ideas for Iowa to pursue in seeking global-warming solutions. His ideas were intriguing enough to share, and, if implemented, could indeed vault Iowa into a leading role on climate change:

No. 5: Expand Amtrak. Illinois is studying the possibility of extending service from Chicago to Rockford to Dubuque and also to the Quad Cities. Expand those studies to look at extending service from Dubuque on to Waterloo, and from the Quad Cities on to Iowa City and Des Moines. This wouldn't supplant the California Zephyr's national route from the San Francisco area through Denver, Omaha and southern Iowa to Chicago, but would add Iowa options.

No. 4: Provide free bicycles. Try a high-tech system being tested in Tulsa. Station bikes at a few high-traffic spots. In Des Moines, that might be at the Capitol, 801 Grand and Meredith. A credit-card swipe would free a bike from a locking rack, and another swipe would record the bike's return to one of the locations, according to the Tulsa World. Use is free if the bike comes back. In Tulsa, the plan is to charge the rider's credit card $100 if the bike is stolen or not returned.

No. 3: Buy clean cars. Cities, counties and the state buy thousands of vehicles a year. They can save money and cut emissions by switching to hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles or other fuel-saving models. There's been progress. One example: State government has increased use of flex-fuel vehicles that use E-85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol, which burns cleaner than gasoline. Just last week, Culver signed an executive order mandating that E-85 make up at least 60 percent of fuel purchases for the state's flex-fuel fleet.

No. 2: Recognize that transportation and land use go hand in hand. Each new condo in downtown Des Moines staves off an increment of suburban sprawl. Sprawl furthers decline of central cities and snarls suburban commuters in ever-heavier traffic. As Brubaker put it, every new downtown apartment is a suburban house not built, a commute not taken and a farm not eliminated.

No. 1: Force a national discussion on global-warming solutions. Given the role of the Iowa caucuses in kicking off the presidential nominating process, Iowans have a unique opportunity and responsibility to press each candidate to detail his or her plans to address climate change. "What is our next president going to do to solve the challenge of our generation?" Brubaker asked.

The national media too often still stereotype Iowa caucus-goers "as concerned about corn, corn and soy," Brubaker said. But what he heard at last weekend's conference was a lot of concern about global warming and "a genuinely inspiring local commitment" to finding answers. "Iowa really can be a very important piece of this solution."

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR CAROL HUNTER can be reached at (515) 284-8020 or [log in to unmask]

- Mike Shaw,

Des Moines

Andrew Snow
Regional Representative
Sierra Club

603.361.0218
[log in to unmask]

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