House File 733 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY D. OLSON, DANDEKAR, THOMAS,
KUHN, REICHERT, MASCHER,
STAED, MERTZ, D. TAYLOR,
REASONER, BUKTA, and H. MILLER
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act providing for the creation of a state energy policy
2 council and a state energy plan.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2494HH 82
5 rn/cf/24
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 469.1 STATE ENERGY PLAN ==
1 2 COUNCIL CREATED.
1 3 1. A state energy plan shall be developed by the energy
1 4 policy council established pursuant to subsection 5. The plan
1 5 shall include long=term and comprehensive state goals and
1 6 objectives for achieving energy independence, economic
1 7 security, and environmental protection by increasing the
1 8 amount of energy produced through renewable energy production
1 9 and energy efficiency and conservation.
1 10 2. A goal of the state energy plan shall be to meet
1 11 twenty=five percent of the state's energy needs with renewable
1 12 energy sources by the year 2032. For purposes of this
1 13 section, "renewable energy sources" means all potential
1 14 sources of renewable or alternative energy, including but not
1 15 limited to ethanol, biodiesel, wind, solar, biomass,
1 16 geothermal, and methane, or through waste utilization
1 17 technology. The twenty=five percent goal shall be met, in
1 18 addition to utilization of renewable energy sources, through
1 19 the expansion of energy efficiency and conservation practices
1 20 in public buildings, expansion of energy efficiency and
1 21 conservation assistance for homes and workplaces,
1 22 implementation of energy=efficient design standards and
1 23 construction techniques in new building construction and
1 24 existing building rehabilitation, and increased utilization of
1 25 recycling and waste reduction practices.
1 26 3. The plan shall include but not be limited to the
1 27 following components:
1 28 a. Conducting an inventory of current energy resources and
1 29 existing infrastructure.
1 30 b. Expanding goals for renewable energy production and
1 31 usage.
1 32 c. Developing and implementing carbon credit trading as a
1 33 renewable energy incentive.
1 34 d. Incorporating green building construction standards and
1 35 techniques into building code requirements as developed by the
2 1 United States green building council leadership in energy and
2 2 environmental design.
2 3 e. Recommending practices encouraging energy conservation.
2 4 f. Recommending methods for incorporation of recycling and
2 5 reuse, including innovative technologies to convert waste into
2 6 energy, to capture methane, and to divert waste from
2 7 landfills.
2 8 g. Recommending methods for coordination of existing
2 9 public and private resources to achieve energy efficiency and
2 10 renewable energy development.
2 11 4. The plan shall include a process for measuring progress
2 12 through implementation of benchmarks and timelines.
2 13 5. There is created an energy policy council which shall
2 14 initially consist of seven members appointed by the governor
2 15 subject to confirmation by the senate. The objective of the
2 16 council shall be to develop, implement, and ensure compliance
2 17 with the state energy plan. Members shall include but shall
2 18 not be limited to representatives of the following:
2 19 a. One member representing the utilities board.
2 20 b. One member representing the Iowa energy center.
2 21 c. One member representing utilities subject to rate
2 22 regulation pursuant to chapter 476.
2 23 d. One member representing an electric utility having
2 24 fewer than ten thousand customers or an electric cooperative
2 25 corporation or association.
2 26 e. One member representing a municipal utility.
2 27 f. One member representing the Iowa environmental council.
2 28 g. One member representing the department.
2 29 Members shall serve three=year staggered terms. Staff
2 30 assistance for the council shall be provided by the department
2 31 of natural resources. Members shall be reimbursed for actual
2 32 and necessary expenses incurred while engaged in their
2 33 official duties and shall receive per diem compensation at the
2 34 level authorized under section 7E.6, subsection 1, paragraph
2 35 "a". The council shall submit a report to the governor and
3 1 the general assembly by January 1 annually regarding state
3 2 energy plan progress.
3 3 EXPLANATION
3 4 This bill provides for the development of a state energy
3 5 plan, with the objective of achieving the goal of 25 percent
3 6 of the state's energy needs being met from renewable energy
3 7 sources by the year 2032. The bill defines "renewable energy
3 8 sources" to refer to any potential source of renewable or
3 9 alternative energy, including but not limited to ethanol,
3 10 biodiesel, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and methane, or
3 11 through waste utilization technology. Besides utilization of
3 12 renewable energy, the bill provides that the goal shall be met
3 13 through the expansion of energy efficiency and conservation
3 14 practices in public buildings, expansion of energy efficiency
3 15 and conservation assistance for homes and workplaces,
3 16 implementation of energy=efficient design standards and
3 17 construction techniques in new building construction and
3 18 existing building rehabilitation, and increased utilization of
3 19 recycling and waste reduction practices.
3 20 The bill provides for specific plan components, and
3 21 provides for the establishment of an energy policy council
3 22 with members appointed by the governor and administrative
3 23 assistance supplied by the department of natural resources to
3 24 develop, implement, and ensure compliance with the plan. The
3 25 bill specifies that the council shall initially include one
3 26 member representing the utilities board, the Iowa energy
3 27 center, utilities subject to rate regulation pursuant to Code
3 28 chapter 476, an electric utility having fewer than 10,000
3 29 customers or an electric cooperative corporation or
3 30 association, a municipal utility, the Iowa environmental
3 31 council, and the department. The council is required to
3 32 submit a report to the governor and the general assembly by
3 33 January 1 annually regarding state energy plan progress.
3 34 LSB 2494HH 82
3 35 rn:rj/cf/24