Bill provides protection against climate change

By Sean McMahon

The debate over reforming our energy system will heat up again as the proposed legislation hits the U.S. Senate.

One of the most politically charged pieces of legislation to hit Congress in years, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) would strengthen our economy by creating good-paying jobs that cannot be shifted overseas. It would also help position Iowa as a global leader in energy production.

Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, and the 218 other Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House who supported the bill had the courage and foresight not to let politics stand in the way of doing the right thing.

ACES provides Iowa with an opportunity to preserve existing jobs and create new ones in the clean energy industry. As a leader in renewable energy production, Iowa is poised to benefit. The Department of Energy estimates that if only 5 percent of the nation's energy comes from wind power by 2020, rural America could see $60 billion in capital investment.

At the same time, a strong agricultural offsets program within ACES protects Iowa's farmers. Agriculture has the ability to capture as much as one-third of our carbon emissions through environmentally responsible practices. The Energy Information Administration estimates this offset market to be worth close to $24 billion annually, giving Iowa farmers a profitable market that rewards them for their good stewardship.

ACES also takes additional critical steps to bolster the economic security and longevity of Iowa's farm lands. Average temperatures in the Midwest have risen in recent decades. Heavy downpours that race off the land are now twice as frequent as they were a century ago. Summer and winter precipitation have been above average for the last three decades, the wettest period in a century. Iowa endured two devastating 500-year floods in 15 years.

Iowa farmers could lose $259 million a year in corn production if temperatures increase 2 degrees Fahrenheit (“Hotter Fields, Lower Yields” study). Climate models project that Iowa will heat up more than any state except Kansas and Nebraska. The average temperature in Iowa is expected to increase by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit over current temperatures by the end of the century.

Increasing precipitation in winter and spring is expected to lead to more frequent flooding, while the summer months will see increasing evaporation and longer periods between rainfalls, causing more frequent and more severe drought. Heavy downpours can overload drainage systems and water treatment facilities, and delay planting in winter and spring.

See how climate has changed over time in Iowa and project what future changes are likely to occur by going to www.climatewizard.org

ACES can provide the support needed to keep our natural resources strong enough to survive the impacts of climate change. Iowa's thriving agriculture and renewable energy industries, which employ more than 400,000 people across the state, will be able to adapt to and successfully overcome the threats of climate change.

ACES is not only about global warming and climate change, it is about growing the clean energy economy in the United States and reinvigorating the nation's industrial and manufacturing base. The bill makes investments to spur millions of new jobs in an emerging industry. Estimates show that Iowa could see a net increase of about

$1.5 billion in investment revenue and the creation of 18,000 jobs.

We can only hope other lawmakers will have the courage to follow Loebsack's lead and help enact national climate and energy policy that will protect our communities, economies and natural resources against climate change while promoting jobs for the 21st century.

Sean McMahon is director of The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. For more information, visit www.nature.org/wherewe

work/northamerica/states/Iowa/