Senate File 494 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 262)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
3 TLSB 2393SV 82
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 455B.152 GREENHOUSE GAS
1 2 INVENTORY AND REGISTRY.
1 3 1. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this section, "greenhouse
1 4 gas" means carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
1 5 hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or sulphur hexafluoride.
1 6 2. GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY.
1 7 a. By January 1, 2008, the department shall establish a
1 8 method for collecting data from producers of greenhouse gases
1 9 regarding generated greenhouse gases. The data collection
1 10 method shall provide for mandatory reporting to collect
1 11 information from affected entities individually and shall
1 12 include information regarding the amount and type of
1 13 greenhouse gases generated, the type of source, and other
1 14 information deemed relevant by the department in developing a
1 15 baseline measure of greenhouse gases produced in the state.
1 16 b. The department may allow a series of reporting
1 17 requirements to be phased in over a period of time and may
1 18 provide for phasing in by producer sector, geographic area,
1 19 size of producer, or other factors. The reporting
1 20 requirements shall apply to the departments, agencies, boards,
1 21 and commissions of the state, in addition to any other
1 22 entities subject to the reporting requirements established by
1 23 the department.
1 24 3. GREENHOUSE GAS REGISTRY.
1 25 a. The department shall establish a voluntary greenhouse
1 26 gas registry for purposes of cooperating with other states in
1 27 tracking, managing, and crediting entities in the state that
1 28 reduce their generation of greenhouse gases or that provide
1 29 increased energy efficiency.
1 30 b. The department shall develop a mechanism to coordinate
1 31 the information obtained in the greenhouse gas inventory with
1 32 the greenhouse gas registry.
1 33 4. AVAILABILITY. By January 1, 2009, the greenhouse gas
1 34 registry shall be made available on an internet website.
1 35 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 455B.851 IOWA CLIMATE CHANGE
2 1 ADVISORY COUNCIL.
2 2 1. The department shall create an Iowa climate change
2 3 advisory council consisting of twenty=one voting members
2 4 serving three=year staggered terms and four nonvoting, ex
2 5 officio members.
2 6 2. a. The voting members shall be appointed by the
2 7 governor and shall represent the following:
2 8 (1) The university of Iowa center for global and regional
2 9 environmental research.
2 10 (2) The university of northern Iowa center for energy and
2 11 environmental education.
2 12 (3) The Iowa farm bureau.
2 13 (4) The Iowa public transit association.
2 14 (5) Rural electric cooperatives.
2 15 (6) Investor=owned utilities.
2 16 (7) Municipal utilities.
2 17 (8) The Iowa utilities board.
2 18 (9) More than one association with environmental interests
2 19 or activities.
2 20 (10) An association with conservation interests or
2 21 activities.
2 22 (11) The international brotherhood of electrical workers.
2 23 (12) The Iowa association of business and industry.
2 24 (13) The Iowa energy center.
2 25 (14) The Iowa bicycle coalition.
2 26 (15) The Iowa renewable fuels association.
2 27 (16) The office of consumer advocate of the department of
2 28 justice.
2 29 (17) An Iowa representative of the international council
2 30 for local environmental initiatives.
2 31 (18) The director of renewable energy in the office of the
2 32 governor.
2 33 (19) A faith=based organization.
2 34 (20) A manufacturer of equipment used for alternative
2 35 energy production.
3 1 b. The four nonvoting, ex officio members shall consist of
3 2 four members of the general assembly, two from the senate and
3 3 two from the house of representatives, with not more than one
3 4 member from each chamber being from the same political party.
3 5 The two senators shall be designated by the majority leader of
3 6 the senate after consultation with the president and the
3 7 minority leader of the senate. The two representatives shall
3 8 be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives
3 9 after consultation with the majority and minority leaders of
3 10 the house of representatives.
3 11 3. Voting members of the council shall serve at the
3 12 pleasure of the governor and shall serve without compensation.
3 13 4. The chairperson of the council shall be designated by
3 14 the governor and may convene the council at any time.
3 15 5. A vacancy in the membership shall not impair the right
3 16 of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the
3 17 duties of the council. A majority of the council members then
3 18 appointed constitutes a quorum. A majority vote of the quorum
3 19 is required for council action.
3 20 6. The department shall provide necessary staff assistance
3 21 to the council.
3 22 7. After consideration of a full range of policies and
3 23 strategies, the council shall develop multiple scenarios
3 24 designed to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions
3 25 including one scenario that would reduce such emissions by
3 26 fifty percent by 2050. The council shall also develop
3 27 short=term, medium=term, and long=term scenarios designed to
3 28 reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions. The council shall
3 29 establish a baseline year for purposes of calculating
3 30 reductions in statewide greenhouse gas emissions. The council
3 31 shall submit the proposal to the governor and the general
3 32 assembly by January 1, 2008.
3 33 8. The council may periodically adopt recommendations
3 34 designed to encourage the reduction of statewide greenhouse
3 35 gas emissions.
4 1 9. By September 1 of each year, the department shall
4 2 submit a report to the governor and the general assembly
4 3 regarding the greenhouse gas emissions in the state during the
4 4 previous calendar year and forecasting trends in such
4 5 emissions. The first submission by the department shall be
4 6 filed by September 1, 2008, for the calendar year beginning
4 7 January 1, 2007.
4 8 10. There is appropriated from the general fund of the
4 9 state to the department of natural resources for the fiscal
4 10 period beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2011, the
4 11 sum of one hundred thousand dollars each fiscal year for
4 12 purposes of the establishment and support of the Iowa climate
4 13 change advisory council. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys
4 14 appropriated in this subsection that remain unencumbered or
4 15 unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert
4 16 but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes
4 17 designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
4 18 EXPLANATION
4 19 This bill relates to statewide greenhouse emissions.
4 20 The bill provides that, by January 1, 2008, the department
4 21 of natural resources shall establish a method for collecting
4 22 data from producers of greenhouse gases. The bill includes a
4 23 mandatory reporting requirement as part of the data collection
4 24 method. The bill allows the department to phase in reporting
4 25 requirements.
4 26 The bill requires the department to establish a voluntary
4 27 greenhouse gas registry for purposes of cooperating with other
4 28 states in tracking, managing, and crediting entities in the
4 29 state that reduce their generation of greenhouse gases or that
4 30 provide increased energy efficiency.
4 31 The bill requires the department of natural resources to
4 32 create an Iowa climate change advisory council consisting of
4 33 21 voting members and four nonvoting, ex officio members
4 34 representing the general assembly. The bill provides that the
4 35 voting members are appointed by the governor and shall
5 1 represent certain associations and groups. The bill requires
5 2 the governor to designate the chairperson of the council. The
5 3 bill requires the department to provide necessary staff
5 4 assistance to the council.
5 5 The bill requires the council, after consideration of a
5 6 full range of policies and strategies, to adopt multiple
5 7 scenarios designed to reduce statewide greenhouse gas
5 8 emissions including one scenario that would reduce such
5 9 emissions by 50 percent by 2050. The bill requires the
5 10 council to also develop short=term, medium=term, and long=term
5 11 scenarios, designed to reduce statewide greenhouse gas
5 12 emissions. The council shall submit the proposal to the
5 13 governor and the general assembly by January 1, 2008.
5 14 By September 1 of each year, the bill requires the
5 15 department to submit a report to the governor and the general
5 16 assembly regarding the greenhouse gas emissions in the state
5 17 during the previous calendar year and forecasting trends in
5 18 such emissions.
5 19 The bill appropriates from the general fund of the state to
5 20 the department of natural resources for the fiscal period
5 21 beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2011, the sum of
5 22 $100,000 each fiscal year for purposes of the establishment
5 23 and support of the Iowa climate change advisory council.
5 24 LSB 2393SV 82
5 25 tm:rj/je/5