Bill Text: IA HR36 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A resolution commemorating the 25th anniversary of the enactment of landmark energy efficiency legislation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 32-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-16 - Resolution filed, laid over under Rule 25. H.J. 872. [HR36 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2015-HR36-Introduced.html

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House Resolution 36 - Introduced

PAG LIN




                    HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.    
         BY  ISENHART, ANDERSON, HANSON, MASCHER, McCONKEY,
         WOLFE, STUTSMAN, STAED, WINCKLER, BENNETT, GASKILL,
          ABDUL=SAMAD, T. TAYLOR, HEDDENS, COHOON, OLDSON,
         KRESSIG, WESSEL=KROESCHELL, DUNKEL, DAWSON, FORBES,
        GAINES, HUNTER, BROWN=POWERS, LENSING, OLSON, KEARNS,
              OURTH, BERRY, STECKMAN, SMITH, and KELLEY
  1  1 A Resolution commemorating the 25th anniversary of the
  1  2    enactment of landmark energy efficiency legislation.
  1  3    WHEREAS, landmark energy efficiency legislation,
  1  4 which has been referred to as the Iowa Energy
  1  5 Efficiency Act, was adopted by the General Assembly and
  1  6 signed into law by Governor Terry E. Branstad 25 years
  1  7 ago; and
  1  8    WHEREAS, the legislation established a state goal of
  1  9 more efficiently utilizing energy resources, especially
  1 10 resources that are renewable or have positive
  1 11 environmental impacts, in order to enhance the state's
  1 12 economy and of decreasing the state's dependence on
  1 13 outside energy resources by reducing the amount of
  1 14 energy used; and
  1 15    WHEREAS, the legislation directed that this goal
  1 16 be implemented through programs that promote energy
  1 17 efficiency and energy conservation by all Iowans,
  1 18 through the development and enhancement of an energy
  1 19 efficiency industry, through the utilization of
  1 20 indigenous energy resources that are economically and
  1 21 environmentally viable, and through effective public
  1 22 information and education programs; and
  1 23    WHEREAS, Iowa ranked 11th among the 50 states on the
  2  1 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard for Utilities and
  2  2 Public Benefits Energy Efficiency Programs, according
  2  3 to the American Council for an Energy=Efficient
  2  4 Economy; and
  2  5    WHEREAS, energy efficiency firms employ an estimated
  2  6 10,000 Iowa workers, comprising almost half of Iowa's
  2  7 advanced energy industry; and
  2  8    WHEREAS, $1.8 billion in ratepayer=funded energy
  2  9 efficiency initiatives by Iowa's investor=owned
  2 10 utilities since 1990 have achieved an estimated 5
  2 11 million megawatt hours in cumulative savings, as well
  2 12 as significant reductions in electricity demand and
  2 13 natural gas consumption; and
  2 14    WHEREAS, the energy efficiency measures of
  2 15 Iowa's municipal electric and natural gas utilities
  2 16 implemented by their customer=owners in recent years
  2 17 will save over 1 million megawatt hours of electricity
  2 18 and over 14 million therms of natural gas over the life
  2 19 of the measures installed; and
  2 20    WHEREAS, Iowa's electric cooperatives have invested
  2 21 over $200 million into local efficiency programs for
  2 22 the benefit of their member=owners over the last 25
  2 23 years; and
  2 24    WHEREAS, Iowa's public building energy benchmarking
  2 25 program has assessed over 2,000 buildings for 103
  2 26 public organizations, identifying total potential
  2 27 annual energy savings of more than 1 million British
  2 28 thermal units per year for a potential cost savings of
  2 29 more than $14 million per year; and
  2 30    WHEREAS, 421 building projects in Iowa have achieved
  3  1 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design status
  3  2 through the United States Green Building Council,
  3  3 comprising more than 33 million square feet, which is
  3  4 equivalent to 12 Empire State Buildings, with each
  3  5 project achieving at least a 12 percent improvement in
  3  6 energy efficiency; and
  3  7    WHEREAS, state energy code updates since 1990 have
  3  8 required newly=designed buildings to be at least 35
  3  9 percent more efficient in their energy use; and
  3 10    WHEREAS, utilities engage in community=based
  3 11 initiatives that have exceeded expectations, including,
  3 12 for example, the City of Fairfield, which achieved an
  3 13 8.5 percent reduction in overall energy consumption
  3 14 over an 18=month period, and the Winneshiek Energy
  3 15 District, which has helped hundreds of households,
  3 16 businesses, and farms generate more than $3 million in
  3 17 savings to date; and
  3 18    WHEREAS, the Iowa Utilities Board and the staff
  3 19 of the state's Office of Consumer Advocate have
  3 20 been recognized by their peers for their leadership
  3 21 and example in modeling best practices in energy
  3 22 efficiency and demonstrating collaboration with other
  3 23 stakeholders; and
  3 24    WHEREAS, energy efficiency is the cleanest and
  3 25 lowest=cost energy resource available to meet and
  3 26 offset consumer energy consumption and demand, and
  3 27 abundant opportunities for cost=effective energy
  3 28 efficiency continue to exist in Iowa for homeowners,
  3 29 multi=family residences, business and industry, public
  3 30 buildings, and nonprofit organizations; and
  4  1 WHEREAS, polling in Midwest states including Iowa
  4  2 shows that 95 percent of voters, regardless of age,
  4  3 gender, income, or political affiliation, support
  4  4 or strongly support increasing the use of energy
  4  5 efficiency to meet the state's future energy needs; NOW
  4  6 THEREFORE,
  4  7    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That
  4  8 the House of Representatives commends all Iowans who
  4  9 have contributed their time, expertise, passion, and
  4 10 initiative to make Iowa a leader in energy efficiency;
  4 11 and
  4 12    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of
  4 13 Representatives renews its commitment to pursue energy
  4 14 efficiency as a primary strategy for meeting this
  4 15 state's energy needs, to be achieved through continued
  4 16 incorporation of energy efficiency in integrated
  4 17 resource planning processes by utilities; aggressive
  4 18 energy efficiency goals, policies, and implementation
  4 19 plans that optimize cost=effective energy efficiency
  4 20 practices; a robust energy efficiency marketplace;
  4 21 aggressive energy efficiency education; engagement
  4 22 with community=based energy efficiency stakeholders
  4 23 and initiatives; consistent and reliable accounting of
  4 24 energy efficiency investments and results; and state
  4 25 program administration and regulatory oversight systems
  4 26 by the Iowa Utilities Board and the Office of Consumer
  4 27 Advocate that assure alignment of stakeholder interests
  4 28 and energy efficiency goals; and
  4 29    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That each public institution
  4 30 or agency, private organization, and citizen is
  5  1 encouraged to consider the role they can play and to
  5  2 take action to further the vision set forth in what
  5  3 is referred to as the Iowa Energy Efficiency Act and
  5  4 to contribute to an energy efficient and clean energy
  5  5 future for Iowa.
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