It’s Getting Hot In Here

We have some serious momentum.  From the hearings on Capitol Hill, to actions to stop coal, to engaging our elected official across the country, this movement is really moving.  And we’re hitting our stride right here in Iowa (excuse the puns).

Yesterday, President Obama came to the Trinity Structural Towers, a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Newton, Iowa, to discuss his plan for clean energy including high speed rail, for this country. Watch Obama’s full Earth Day speech (video here) for highlights on renewable energy (including offshore wind and tidal power), energy efficiency and rail.

Local news station KCCI has great coverage (video here) of this plan:

President Barack Obama pitched his green energy plan in Iowa on Wednesday and draw raves for his proposal to build a high-speed rail network that with a line connecting Des Moines to Chicago.

“We could be on a train to Chicago in the next three years,” said Andrew Snow of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, a group pushing the high-speed rail plan. “It…offers the opportunity to make the quality of life better here.”

“My budget is also making unprecedented investments in mass transit, high-speed rail and in our highway system to reduce the congestion that wastes money and time and energy,” Obama said.

In addition to major support from Obama, high speed rail is getting traction across the state.  Yesterday Senator Tom Harkin said “I applaud President Obama’s call for this high-speed passenger rail service from Des Moines to Chicago today – service I have long supported to complement the Amtrak route that runs through the Southern part of Iowa. “

In the last three weeks alone, the Sierra Student Coalition and Iowa Global Warming have generated over 2500 emails to legislators, support from dozens of groups including the Greater Des Moines Partnership (businesses), the Iowa Association of Community Colleges (education), Change to Win (labor unions) and Iowa Interfaith Power and Light (churches).  In an op-ed published today in the Des Moines Register Michael Kulik, chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership Transit 2030 Task Force, wrote:

With federal funding available and other Midwestern states committing to passenger-rail projects benefiting the citizens of those states, the real question concerning passenger rail has become, “How can we afford not to?”

Everyone is talking about rail in this state.  So what happens next?  The Iowa state legislature is considering a bonding bill that would raise funds for jobs creation and infrastructure improvement, and will include major funding for the Department of Trasnportation.  As KCCI reported, “Sen. Matt McCoy told Newschannel 8 that it’s ‘highly probable’ the measure will pass.”  From there, we need to make sure the DOT allocates sufficient funding for high speed rail.  Check below for the DOT Public Hearings and if you are in Iowa, or know people in Iowa, please encourage them to attend and urge funding for rail.

Beyond high speed rail, Iowa has seen some exciting developments around energy and sustainability.  As a result of the Iowa Earth Summit held at Drake University on March 28th, the Iowa Sustainability Alliance formed, becoming Iowa’s first  state-wide youth sustainability network.  And last but not least, Iowa Representative Bruce Braley delivered a great opening statement on the climate bill, with a special shout out the youth at the hearings and talks about how investment in renewable energy create economic growth.  Watch out nation, Iowa is kicking it into high gear!

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