Issues
Energy and the Environment
“When it comes to the environment, we need to follow the old Boy Scout rule that you leave a campground cleaner than you found it. At the same time, there’s no reason in the world that successful economic development and good stewardship of our environment cannot go hand in hand. Business Week recently published a story about alternative energy titled “Little Green Dynamos” featuring 25 companies it calls “intriguing energy innovators.” I couldn’t help but notice that none of those 25 companies is in Iowa and there’s absolutely no reason they couldn’t or shouldn’t be here. It’s not because we’re not smart enough or innovative enough. It’s not because we lack the resources to become a leader, or at least a significant player, in the clean energy field. It’s because we just haven’t had a leader who puts his mind to creating a public-private partnership with promising companies to make great things happen.”
—Bob Vander Plaats
Bob Vander Plaats is:
• FOR making Iowa a leading alternative energy producer and innovator, particularly in the areas of wind, solar, biodiesel, biomass, ethanol and algae.
• FOR encouraging “intriguing energy innovators” currently headquartered in other states to relocate to Iowa or open additional facilities here.
• FOR creating an inviting business environment - including tax incentives, more research funding and additional encouragement and support - to encourage “green” companies of all types.
• FOR closer public-private partnerships between Iowa and the state’s leading commodity groups to seek new or improved alternative energy options and initiatives to better conserve energy and the environment.
• FOR aggressively revisiting the currently shelved plans to build coal-powered plants in Marshalltown and Waterloo because coal is currently the most efficient way to meet Iowans’ energy needs.
• FOR educating Iowans about environmental best management practices.
• FOR penalizing and shutting down businesses that deliberately and repeatedly abuse the environment.
