Utterly deplorable:
The state, under a bill advanced Wednesday in the Iowa House, would no longer have the declared purpose of reducing air pollution from fossil fuels, and the Iowa Utilities Commission could not consider climate change when ruling on a hazardous liquid pipeline.
Thomson
House Study Bill 67 would remove from law the Iowa Legislature’s declared purpose of reducing the state’s reliance on petroleum products and “reducing atmospheric contamination” caused by burning fossil fuels, which lawmakers had deemed necessary to support the state’s vast agricultural industry.
Republican members of a three-member legislative subcommittee — Reps. Charley Thomson of Charles City and Judd Lawler of Oxford — supported moving the legislation forward for consideration by the full House Commerce Committee.
The bill was introduced by Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Shannon Lundgren, a Republican from Peosta.
Thomson called climate change caused by human activity “one hypotheses of many to explain what is going on in our world right now.”
Democratic Rep. Adam Zabner, of Iowa City, a member of the subcommittee, objected to the legislation, saying the Iowa Department of Natural Resources notes the state is already experiencing the effects of climate change from increased precipitation that’s led to record flooding, higher temperatures, increased soil erosion and water runoff, and public health effects, including an increase in the prevalence of Iowans with asthma and allergies.
“I think any Iowan that gets a bill in the mail for their home insurance knows that Iowa’s climate is changing,” Zabner said.
“And when you’re talking about long-term planning for the future of our energy reliance, these are really important issues. You can’t just close your eyes to the changing climate,” he said. “My concern is we’ll fall behind other states that are using all the available information to make the best decisions about the future of energy.”
Zabner also questioned whether the bill’s language removing climate change considerations would impact the Iowa Utilities Commission’s modeling for future energy projects and demand in the state.
“Is that modeling going to be accurate if it doesn’t include the changing climate we’re seeing in Iowa due to climate change?” Zabner asked.
Thomson responded that climate modeling “is not at the point where it can be relied on” for plans that help utilities determine how to meet future energy demand.
“I think there’s a big question about how reliable the theories on ... climate change are, and I think we need to as a Legislature make a statement” to that effect, he told reporters.
“Those tax credits and the climate change implications should be subject to inquiry and evaluation by the utilities commission members,” Mackey-Taylor said.
nonpareilonline.com
The state, under a bill advanced Wednesday in the Iowa House, would no longer have the declared purpose of reducing air pollution from fossil fuels, and the Iowa Utilities Commission could not consider climate change when ruling on a hazardous liquid pipeline.
Thomson
House Study Bill 67 would remove from law the Iowa Legislature’s declared purpose of reducing the state’s reliance on petroleum products and “reducing atmospheric contamination” caused by burning fossil fuels, which lawmakers had deemed necessary to support the state’s vast agricultural industry.
Republican members of a three-member legislative subcommittee — Reps. Charley Thomson of Charles City and Judd Lawler of Oxford — supported moving the legislation forward for consideration by the full House Commerce Committee.
The bill was introduced by Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Shannon Lundgren, a Republican from Peosta.
Thomson called climate change caused by human activity “one hypotheses of many to explain what is going on in our world right now.”
Democrat objects
Democratic Rep. Adam Zabner, of Iowa City, a member of the subcommittee, objected to the legislation, saying the Iowa Department of Natural Resources notes the state is already experiencing the effects of climate change from increased precipitation that’s led to record flooding, higher temperatures, increased soil erosion and water runoff, and public health effects, including an increase in the prevalence of Iowans with asthma and allergies.
“I think any Iowan that gets a bill in the mail for their home insurance knows that Iowa’s climate is changing,” Zabner said.
“And when you’re talking about long-term planning for the future of our energy reliance, these are really important issues. You can’t just close your eyes to the changing climate,” he said. “My concern is we’ll fall behind other states that are using all the available information to make the best decisions about the future of energy.”
Zabner also questioned whether the bill’s language removing climate change considerations would impact the Iowa Utilities Commission’s modeling for future energy projects and demand in the state.
“Is that modeling going to be accurate if it doesn’t include the changing climate we’re seeing in Iowa due to climate change?” Zabner asked.
Thomson responded that climate modeling “is not at the point where it can be relied on” for plans that help utilities determine how to meet future energy demand.
“I think there’s a big question about how reliable the theories on ... climate change are, and I think we need to as a Legislature make a statement” to that effect, he told reporters.
Tax credits
Pam Mackey-Taylor, with the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, urged lawmakers not to restrict state regulators from considering projects that seek to take advantage of federal programs and tax credits that encourage investment in carbon capture and storage projects or other “climate change initiative” that seek to reduce greenhouse emissions.“Those tax credits and the climate change implications should be subject to inquiry and evaluation by the utilities commission members,” Mackey-Taylor said.
Bill would remove climate change from state consideration
Under the proposed bill, the Iowa Utilities Commission could not consider climate change when ruling on a hazardous liquid pipeline.
