06/02/2026
Long read with lots of information- YOU are invited to come on JUNE 17, Wednesday, at noon to the Oneota Coop Kitchen (two doors east of the Coop) for our monthly meeting. Bring your lunch, kids, coffee, whatever! We pass the hat to cover the $20 fee for the room; anything extra goes into the chapter bank account.
On May 9, we heard that a Congressional staffer is ‘confident’ that permitting reform will boost clean energy. This was the monthly national call and is recorded and available at the link. This is one of CCL's current efforts, and has bipartisan support. YOU can take action cclusa.org/take-action! The other current goal is to get 5,000 contacts to Congress to Save Our Sequoias....take TWO MINUTES and send both actions, please!
Iowans had cause for celebration on April 9, 2026, when Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 2214, authorizing electric transmission lines on highway rights-of-way. A coalition of people, including some Iowa CCLers, worked for months to bring this about. YAY! Good for Iowa!
Do you know about "balcony solar"? Plug-in solar systems are small, affordable solar panels (up to 1,200 watts) that plug into a standard wall outlet — no contractors, no permits, no roof required. They can go on patios and balconies, perfect for renters who can take them when they move, or for folks that want to create some energy to reduce their energy bill! Five states have now legalized plug-in solar; Utah was the first! Let's get it in Iowa! Iowa State Senator Bagniewski introduced HF 2046 in January '26 but it died in committee. Calls, letters to the editor and emails to legislators will help raise awareness for the next legislative session when it can be reintroduced. Paul Cutting of Winneshiek Energy District wrote about it here.
The old Alliant power plant south of Lansing has batteries now. Jack Knight of Allamakee County recently reported that Energy Dome is inquiring about siting in Allamakee County. Energy domes turn the carbon dioxide from gas to liquid back to gas through a closed-loop system. They are 160 ft tall, and the carbon dioxide would be trucked in once to the project. They have a 10hr battery as a battery storage container only has a 4hr battery. lowa has a lot of energy but not enough storage. There will be a power block for each dome, which needs 1-5 acres and is a tank full of water.
Iowa Senate File 2214 passed in Iowa, another cause to celebrate! Signed April 9, 2026, this Iowa law facilitates the use of highway rights-of-way (ROW) for electric transmission lines. This will minimize the use of eminent domain on private land. It specifically authorizes longitudinal transmission lines (lines running parallel to the road) within primary road and interstate rights-of-way. Read more here from the Nature Conservancy.
CCL's Conservative conference and lobby day happened virtually on April 21. Lobby teams met with Hinson's, Miller-Meeks' and Ernst's office, and later with Grassley's office. If YOU would like to know more about how you can participate (free training via CCL! it's easy, really!) let me know.
CCL's Summer Conference is July 26-28, and we are again raising $$ to help Young Iowans of college age to attend. Click here for more information; a donation of any size helps! If you have questions about all this, please email me or text/call.
If you can't go to DC, be a participant for the Nordic Fest parade and our bicycle powered float, July 25! Come and join the fun! We meet up around 10 AM at the fairgrounds. I will be sent our parade number 1-2 weeks before, so let me know if you are interested. The theme is Butter! If you have an idea of how to incorporate that into our float, LMK 😉
Leslie Sand
NE Iowa Citizens' Climate leader
CCL Lutheran Action Team co-leader
Iowa State Co-coordinator, CCL
563-419-1134
"Action is the antidote to despair." ~~ Joan Baez
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Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) Iowa is taking young Iowans, ages ~18+… Leslie Sand needs your support for Send Young Iowans to DC to Ask for Climate Solutions!
