CHAPTER 403
IOWA ENERGY CENTER
261—403.1(15) Purpose. The Iowa energy center is established within the authority with the following purposes:
	1.	To expand workforce and career opportunities for workers in the energy sector to ensure that the state is able to attract and train professionals to meet the state’s future energy needs.
	2.	To support technology-based development by encouraging public-private partnerships and innovative manufacturers to develop and bring to market new energy technologies.
	3.	To support rural and underserved areas and vulnerable populations by creating opportunities for greater access to energy efficiency expertise, training, programs, and cyber security preparedness for small utilities.
	4.	To support the expansion of natural gas infrastructure to rural and underserved areas of the state where the absence is a limiting factor to economic development.
	5.	To promote and fund research, development, and commercialization of biomass technology to benefit the state economically and environmentally by further realizing the value-added attributes of biomass in the development of bioenergy, biofuels, and biochemicals.
	6.	To encourage growth of the alternative fuel vehicle market, particularly for electric vehicles, and the infrastructure necessary to support the market.
	7.	To support efforts to modernize the electric grid infrastructure of the state to support increased capacity and new technologies.
	8.	To support research and development of strategies for carbon management.
[ARC 4063C, IAB 10/10/18, effective 11/14/18; ARC 6492C, IAB 9/7/22, effective 10/12/22]
261—403.2(15) Definitions. As used in these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:
“Authority” means the economic development authority created in Iowa Code section 15.105.
“Board” means the governing board of the Iowa energy center established pursuant to Iowa Code section 15.120(2), and includes the members appointed to the board by the governor.
“Center” means the Iowa energy center established pursuant to Iowa Code section 15.120.
“Committee” means a committee established by the board.
“Director” means the director of the authority.
“Internet site” means the information and related content maintained by the authority and found at www.iowaeda.com. “Internet site” may include content at affiliated sites whose content is integrated with that site.
[ARC 4063C, IAB 10/10/18, effective 11/14/18; ARC 5994C, IAB 10/20/21, effective 9/30/21]
261—403.3(15) Iowa energy center board.
	403.3(1) Composition. A governing board is established consisting of the following members appointed by the governor:
	a. 	One member representing Iowa state university of science and technology, in consultation with the president of that university.
	b. 	One member representing the university of Iowa, in consultation with the president of that university.
	c. 	One member representing the university of northern Iowa, in consultation with the president of that university.
	d. 	One member representing private colleges and universities within the state, in consultation with the Iowa association of independent colleges and universities.
	e. 	One member representing community colleges, in consultation with the Iowa association of community college trustees.
	f. 	One member representing the economic development authority, in consultation with the director of the economic development authority.
	g. 	One member representing the state department of transportation, in consultation with the director of the department of transportation.
	h. 	One member representing the office of consumer advocate, in consultation with the consumer advocate.
	i. 	One member representing the utilities board, in consultation with the chair of the utilities board.
	j. 	One member representing rural electric cooperatives, in consultation with the Iowa association of electric cooperatives.
	k. 	One member representing municipal utilities, in consultation with the Iowa association of municipal utilities.
	l. 	Two members representing investor-owned utilities, one representing gas utilities, and one representing electric utilities, in consultation with the Iowa utility association.
	403.3(2) Terms. Members of the board are appointed for staggered terms of four years beginning and ending as provided in Iowa Code section 69.19. A person appointed to fill a vacancy serves only for the unexpired portion of the term. A member is eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy shall be filled by the governor as provided for in Iowa Code section 15.120(2). The terms of board members shall be staggered as determined by the director.
	403.3(3) Quorum and voting requirements. Seven or more members of the board constitute a quorum, and any board action requires an affirmative vote by a majority of the members present.
	403.3(4) Board officers. The board shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson annually and may elect other officers as necessary.
	403.3(5) Meetings.
	a. 	Meetings of the board are held at the call of the chairperson or when two members of the board request a meeting. The board generally meets quarterly at the authority’s offices or by electronic means. By notice of the regularly published meeting agendas, the board and its committees may hold regular or special meetings at other locations within the state. Meeting agendas are available on the authority’s Internet site.
	b. 	Meetings of the board and any committee it may establish are conducted in accordance with the provisions of Iowa Code chapter 21. Any person may attend and observe the proceedings of the board and committee meetings except for those portions of the meetings conducted in closed session pursuant to Iowa Code section 21.5. Persons observing may use cameras or recording devices during the meeting so long as the use of such devices does not interfere with the proceedings. The chairperson may order any person to discontinue the use of such a device if the chairperson believes it is causing an interference with the proceedings. The chairperson may have any person excluded who fails to comply with such an order. The chairperson may also exclude any person generally causing a disruption of the proceedings.
	403.3(6) Committees. The board may, from time to time, establish advisory committees for purposes of overseeing the center, its programs, and its operations. Such committees include but are not limited to the following:
	a. 	A grant committee, the purpose of which shall be to assist the board in making and administering awards of grants under the center’s programs.
	(1)	The grant committee is an advisory body comprised of voting members of the board who are selected annually by the voting members of the board. The membership and size of the committee as well as the terms of the committee members will be established annually by the board.
	(2)	The members of the grant committee will elect a chairperson. The chairperson may appoint members of the grant committee to serve on a grant committee subcommittee if necessary. Such a subcommittee is advisory only and may perform such duties as may be assigned by the chairperson.
	(3)	The duties of the grant committee may include reviewing applications for grant awards, conducting a thorough review of proposed grant applications, making recommendations to the board regarding the size and condition of grant awards, and any other duty assigned by the board in relation to the programs administered by the center.
	(4)	A majority of the committee members constitutes a quorum of the committee.
	(5)	Meetings of the grant committee are held at the call of the chairperson.
	b. 	A loan committee, the purpose of which shall be to assist the board in making and administering loan awards under the center’s programs, including the alternate energy revolving loan program and energy infrastructure revolving loan program.
	(1)	The loan committee is an advisory body comprised of voting members of the board who are selected annually by the voting members of the board. The membership and size of the committee as well as the terms of the committee members will be established annually by the board.
	(2)	The members of the loan committee will elect a chairperson. The chairperson may appoint members of the loan committee to serve on a loan committee subcommittee if necessary. Such a subcommittee is advisory only and may perform such duties as may be assigned by the chairperson.
	(3)	The duties of the loan committee may include reviewing applications for loans, conducting a thorough review of proposed loan applications, making recommendations to the board regarding the size and condition of loans, and any other duty assigned by the board in relation to the programs administered by the center.
	(4)	A majority of the committee members constitutes a quorum of the committee.
	(5)	Meetings of the loan committee are held at the call of the chairperson.
[ARC 4063C, IAB 10/10/18, effective 11/14/18; ARC 5994C, IAB 10/20/21, effective 9/30/21; ARC 6492C, IAB 9/7/22, effective 10/12/22]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 15.120.
[Filed ARC 4063C (Notice ARC 3842C, IAB 6/20/18), IAB 10/10/18, effective 11/14/18]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 5994C (Notice ARC 5878C, IAB 8/25/21), IAB 10/20/21, effective 9/30/21]
[Filed ARC 6492C (Notice ARC 6383C, IAB 6/29/22), IAB 9/7/22, effective 10/12/22]