From Rep. Rog Hogg: Dear Friends: Tomorrow, February 7, I will be holding a press conference with State Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) and State Representative Don Shoultz (D-Waterloo) at 8:30 a.m. in the former Supreme Court Consultation Room, Room 102, at the State Capitol to discuss a comprehensive energy and climate policy bill that I filed today in the Iowa House. You are welcome to attend this event. Building on other proposals to expand renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, this bill is intended to make Iowa a world leader in energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy to strengthen our economy, help consumers, create jobs, and meet our obligations for the environment and future generations. It would appropriate $19.8 million and provide approximately $13.6 million in targeted tax incentives for energy conservation and clean, affordable Iowa energy each year for five years. Last year, Iowans spent more than $10 billion on gasoline, natural gas, and electricity - or approximately $3,500 per person in the state. That cost was up from $5.5 billion only seven years earlier. At the same time, our emissions of greenhouse gases have increased from 22.8 million metric tons of carbon equivalents in 1990 to 32.8 million MTCEs in 2000. To reverse these trends, we need comprehensive energy and climate policy to reduce our energy use and provide clean, affordable energy for Iowa's future. The centerpiece of such a policy is better energy conservation and energy efficiency. The Iowa Utilities Board has calculated as part of the Iowa Weatherization Challenge that if Iowa and seven other Upper Midwest states can reduce their natural gas consumption by 1% per year for five years, it will reduce natural gas prices nationally by 13%. If we reduce all energy consumption by 1% per year for five years, we will save Iowa consumers $1.5 billion, and continue to save more than $500 million every year after that. For more information about the Iowa Weatherization Challenge, please visit www.state.ia.us/government/com/util/IWC. This bill features the following provisions: ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY Rebates for fuel-efficient vehicles getting more than 27.5 miles per gallon (up to $5 million per year) Education about new federal energy tax credits for hybrid and other vehicles ($100,000 per year) Tax credits for private green building construction and standards for all public construction (up to $4 million per year) Expand low-income weatherization programs ($2 million per year) Community energy conservation planning and technical assistance to build on the Iowa Weatherization Challenge ($500,000 per year) Expand energy conservation training ($300,000 per year) Education about energy efficiency standards in the state building code ($200,000 per year) Implement the energy conservation goals for state agencies established by Executive Order No. 41 ($100,000 per year) RENEWABLE ENERGY Minimum renewable energy production standard of 10% electricity produced by 2020 for electric utilities in Iowa Double the renewable energy production tax credits approved in SF390 last year ($5.5 million) Renewable energy grants to schools for wind and solar power ($1 million per year) Renewable energy education grants for public education about the environmental benefits of renewable energy ($200,000 per year) Solar energy equipment sales tax exemption (cost to be determined) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Clean energy business assistance through the Iowa Department of Economic Development ($5 million per year) Advanced renewable energy technology research through Iowa State University ($5 million per year) STATE CLIMATE POLICY Establish a goal of limiting greenhouse gas emissions on a per capita basis by 2020 to 1990 levels Authorize the Iowa Utilities Board to consider greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation measures in approving power plants Climate change advisory board to advise the state about climate policy ($100,000 per year) Carbon sequestration registry in the Department of Agriculture to help Iowa farmers trade credits in global market ($200,000 per year) Climate change monitoring collaborative through the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa ($100,000 per year) If you would like to review this legislation, it will be posted on the Legislature's web site at www.legis.state.ia.us. Once it is entered on the system, you can find it by looking for legislation by sponsor and clicking on my name. I would appreciate your support for this legislation. Rep. Rob Hogg State Capitol Des Moines, IA 50319 (515) 281-7478 (Direct) (515) 281-3221 (Switchboard) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/