469.4 - IOWA ENERGY INDEPENDENCE PLAN. - Iowa Statutes

469.4 IOWA ENERGY INDEPENDENCE PLAN. 1. The director shall develop an Iowa energy independence plan in association with public and private partners selected by the director including representatives of the energy industry, environmental interests, agricultural interests, business interests, other interested parties, and members of the general public. The plan shall be subject to approval by the board. 2. The plan shall provide cost-effective options and strategies for reducing the state's consumption of energy, dependence on foreign sources of energy, use of fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions. The options and strategies developed in the plan shall provide for achieving energy independence from foreign sources of energy by the year 2025. The plan shall include a review of a range of energy sources including nuclear power. 3. The plan shall be initially submitted to the governor and members of the general assembly by December 14, 2007, and by December 14 annually thereafter. The plan shall be made electronically available to the public. The director shall conduct public meetings around the state to gather input to be used in developing the plan. 4. The plan shall identify cost-effective options and strategies that will allow the state to accomplish the following: a. Maximize use of emerging technologies and practices to enhance energy efficiency and conservation and develop alternative and renewable energy sources. b. Retain and create high-quality jobs that provide good wages and benefits. c. Enhance the development of the state's bioeconomy including but not limited to the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of bioengineering, biorefining, and other bioproduct manufacturing facilities in this state. d. Encourage federal, local, and private industry investment in the state's bioeconomy. e. Promote sustainable land use, soil conservation, clean air, sustainable water supply, and clean water practices. f. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, both on an aggregate and per capita basis. g. Advance the interests of crop, biomass, and livestock producers and biofuel and other bioproduct manufacturers. h. Identify the road, transit, trail, rail, pipeline, transmission, distributed generation, and other infrastructure investments needed to enhance the state's energy independence efforts. i. Identify strategies to increase affordability of energy for individuals, families, organizations, and businesses, including low-income persons. j. Review and assess the effectiveness of existing state programs, including but not limited to financial assistance programs and tax policies, in enhancing the state's energy independence efforts. k. Develop short-term and long-term recommendations for the role of individuals, families, community organizations, cities, counties, public and private education institutions, and state agencies in enhancing the state's energy independence efforts. l. Develop short-term and long-term recommendations regarding state energy regulatory policy.          Section History: Recent Form 2007 Acts, ch 168, §4, 18; 2008 Acts, ch 1144, §4, 13; 2009 Acts, ch 108, §19, 41 Referred to in § 469.3          Footnotes Renewable fuels marketing efforts; 2008 Acts, ch 1169, §43--48