It was nice to see visitors from the district at the Statehouse last week. Chris Kivett-Berry, community project director for Linn County Empowerment, and other Empowerment representatives were in Des Moines to talk with legislators about changes in Empowerment.

Shannon Meyer, president for the Cedar Rapids Chamber, and Gail Naughton, director of the Czech-Slovak Museum, had the chance to meet with representatives of Iowa's Office of Energy Independence this week. OEI provided a presentation on how nonprofits can apply for project funding through the Iowa Power Fund. In particular, our Cedar Rapids folks were interested in funding for green building and green energy projects.

It was another busy week, on the go from morning to night! I look forward to being home in Linn County this weekend. It sounds like another storm is moving into Iowa, so please stay safe!



Grants will help local communities save energy

The Iowa Office of Energy Independence recently announced the recipients of Community Grant Awards, which provide funding for local organizations and communities to develop energy-saving initiatives.

In 2009, the Community Grant Program was established as part of the Iowa Power Fund. For this fiscal year, $800,000 was approved for the program.

The Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative was approved for $50,000 to offer whole-house energy audits to propane customers who sign up, with a $500 rebate for customers who implement changes that lead to a 25 percent reduction in home energy use. In addition, Kirkwood Community College was approved for $17,341 for its Energy Education and Awareness Project.

For more information on the community grants program, please visit http://www.energy.iowa.gov/.



State Energy Grants awarded

The Office of Energy Independence recently announced State Energy Grants for projects that will help create jobs, conserve energy and save money. Funding for the awards comes from the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Projects were awarded in the categories of public sector, private sector, non-profit sector, training and information, innovative projects and technology demonstration.

Local projects receiving funding include:

•Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Hiawatha: $65,300 to install solar panels that will generate 15,750 watts of electricity.

•Cedar Rapids-Linn County Solid Waste Agency: $650,000 for a land-fill gas co-generation project.

•Kirkwood Community College: $1,100,000 to install three 1.5 mw wind turbines that would replace 70 percent energy use and to establish a sustainable energy center.

•Trees Forever of Marion: $159,701 to work in 10 disaster-impacted Iowa communities to develop and implement a model for community education and engagement around planting trees.

•Cedar Rapids Electrical JATC: $38,993.75 to install a small wind turbine and PV array for on-site training.

For more information on the State Energy Grants, please visit http://www.energy.iowa.gov/.



Saving your tax dollars, eliminating government waste

The national recession has put the spotlight on doing more with less.

This session, the Iowa Legislature is doing just that. In fact, we're well on our way to approving a state budget that spends less than in 2007-without raising taxes.

That's great news for middle-class Iowans who are tightening their belts in the midst of this national recession. They deserve to know that state government is also cutting spending.

We took a big step on February 1 with a bipartisan vote in the Senate to adopt a sweeping plan to reorganize state government. Senate File 2088 will make state government leaner, more accountable to the public and better able to serve taxpayers.

The non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Service estimates that these reforms could save the state as much as $118 million. This is in addition to the nearly $60 million in annual savings approved in an early retirement bill that passed the Senate last week.

A government reorganization committee was created during the 2009 session. It met over the summer and unanimously approved recommendations reflected in the legislation approved by the Senate.

The legislation will cut spending and make state government services more efficient by:

•Taking advantage of advances in technology.

• Using the state's significant purchasing power to get a better deal for taxpayers.

•Requiring departments and agencies to coordinate and, in some cases, combine to save the state money.

Thank you to the many Iowans who offered their input for making state government more responsive and accountable. While we've taken a big step forward, I'll continue to push for more reform. So keep your suggestions coming!

SF 2088 now goes to the Iowa House for its consideration. If you'd like to review the bill, go to http://tiny.cc/sf2088.



Protecting Iowans and their pocketbooks

Two bills to help protect middle-class Iowans and their pocketbooks passed the Senate on February 2.

Senate File 2075 protects Iowans from unreasonable increases in insurance costs. The bill prevents insurance companies from increasing your rates just because your family has been hit by a military deployment, job loss, death or serious illness, identity theft or natural disaster. These events can lower your credit score, which insurance companies then use to hike your rates.

I voted to require insurers to tell you when your rates are being raised due to a lower credit score. You'll then have a chance to reverse the rate increase by proving you suffered an extraordinary life event beyond your control. If necessary, you'll be able to file an appeal with the Iowa Insurance Consumer Advocate.

Senate File 2108 helps protect Iowans from shady car repair shops that perform services without authorization. Iowans deserve to know up front how much repairs will cost before a service is performed.

Under current law, if a repair shop makes expensive repairs without permission, they can keep your car until the dispute is resolved. New legislation will allow the Attorney General to conduct an immediate investigation and let you get your car back while the dispute is resolved.





Increasing accountability and transparency for your tax dollars

As the Legislature continues to reorganize and shrink state government, we're building in greater accountability and transparency when it comes to how your tax dollars are spent.

Iowans can see how their taxpayer dollars are being used to create jobs, grow our communities and attract good businesses in the Iowa Department of Economic Development's recently released annual searchable database.

You can search the database for the IDED's job-creation efforts by company, city, county, and tax credit or economic development program. Just go to http://tiny.cc/IDED09DB.



How you can reduce future flood damage

On February 2, a Cedar Rapids group working to prevent future flooding visited the Statehouse, where they issued a "Million Gallon Challenge" to all Iowans.

Experts say that with all the snow we've had this winter, the risk of flooding this spring may be greater than in 2008 when we had disastrous flooding in eastern Iowa.

Advocates from the Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids say individual households can make a difference. They hope to prevent a million gallons of rainwater in their watershed from becoming floodwater by using rain barrels, rain gardens and other household measures.

Placing rain barrels under gutter downspouts is one of the easiest techniques for reducing runoff. The rain barrels collect roof water during storms, which you can then use to water your garden and lawn. Every gallon held in a rain barrel is one that won't run off quickly into the watershed-plus you'll save money on your water bill!

Since the floods of 2008, the Iowa Legislature has approved several long-term measures to slow the runoff of rain, such as improving floodplain planning and protecting our wetlands. This year, we're working to create local watershed management authorities to help cities, counties and soil and water conservation districts reduce future flood damage and improve water quality.

But preventing flood damage isn't just about big, expensive projects. Each one of us can do our part to prevent flood damage, save millions of dollars in losses and improve the quality of our rivers and lakes.

For more information on how you can help reduce flood damage, go to Indian Creek Nature Center's Web site at www.indiancreeknaturecenter.org or call land steward Jean Wiedenheft at 319-362-0664.



Energy efficiency grants for cities and counties

The Iowa Office of Energy Independence is seeking proposals from Iowa's cities and counties for projects that will reduce energy use, have a positive impact on local budgets and enhance economic development through job creation.

Up to $8,634,400 is available for competitive grants in several categories. Funding comes from the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, which is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

I encourage our local governments to apply. For complete details and application materials, go to www.energy.iowa.gov, or contact Jessica Turba at 515-725-0437 or Jessica.Turba@iowa.gov.