FYI, there was a good energy article on the energy position of Sierra Club-endorsed congressional candidate Paul Johnson in today's Des Moines Register. Lyle News Politics Johnson: U.S. needs to revise its energy policy U.S. Rep. Tom Latham's challenger proposes increasing fuel-efficiency standards and tapping alternative energy sources. By JONATHAN ROOS REGISTER STAFF WRITER October 14, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nevada, Ia. - Democratic congressional candidate Paul Johnson called Wednesday for a more aggressive national energy policy, including tougher fuel-efficiency standards and renewable electricity requirements for utilities. Johnson, a Democrat challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Latham in the 4th District, said the Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress have done little to make the nation less dependent on fossil fuels. Every penny increase in gasoline prices takes $16 million out of Iowa's economy, he told reporters after touring the Iowa Energy Center's biomass facility in Nevada. Latham said no president has done more for ethanol than President Bush. He said Congress recently approved tax credits for wind energy and the Senate just completed action on a bill containing credits for ethanol, soy diesel and biomass. He blamed John Kerry and other Democrats for the failure of an energy bill in the Senate. Johnson, a Decorah farmer, is a former state legislator who led the push for several environmental programs. He's also a former Iowa natural resources department director and federal soil conservation official. Latham, from Alexander, is an owner of Latham Seeds, a soybean facility. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and is seeking a sixth term in the Nov. 2 election. The 4th District covers much of northern and central Iowa. Johnson said corn-based ethanol will continue to play a major energy role, but its uses could evolve. His energy proposals include: € Increasing fuel-efficiency standards for all cars and trucks. "We must work together with the rest of the world to move to pollution-free transportation within the next 25 years." € Requiring power companies to produce a portion of their electricity from wind generators and other alternative sources. Johnson would require that utilities initially reach 10 percent renewable electricity generation by 2010. € Pushing for worldwide energy efficiency and making Iowa State University the world leader in agriculture-based research and development. ___________________________________________________ Lyle R. Krewson Sierra Club Conservation Organizer 6403 Aurora Avenue #3 Des Moines, IA 50322-2862 515/276-8947 515/238-7113 - cel [log in to unmask] ___________________________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your voice heard! Find out how to get Take Action Alerts and other important Sierra Club messages by email at: http://www.sierraclub.org/email