CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Hawaii State Senator Chris Lee visited Iowa this week as part of a multi-day fact-finding mission focused on climate action and renewable energy.
At a meet-and-greet hosted by the Linn County Democrats, Lee emphasized the need for local governments to fill the gaps left by the state’s decisions.
“These issues, protecting the environment, creating news jobs for people and clean energy and other industries, they shouldn’t be partisan, they don’t need to be,” said Lee. “Iowa’s one of those places I think which has the most opportunity to not only do right by the environment and protect the watershed and ensure clean water and clean environment for Iowans all over the state but also create jobs.”
The timing of Lee’s visit comes as Iowa forfeited millions in federal funding aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Governor Kim Reynolds declined to apply for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) offered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which would have provided the state $3 million to develop a comprehensive climate action plan. Additionally, Iowa missed out on $75 million from the federal Solar for All program, which could have bolstered the state’s solar energy initiatives.
However, while the state has declined these funds, local counties have pushed forward. Linn, Polk, and Johnson counties each secured $1 million in climate pollution reduction planning grants from the EPA. These grants are being used to develop local climate action strategies focusing on improving air quality, increasing renewable energy usage, and addressing disaster response issues.
Senator Lee, who also serves as president of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, joined Iowa State Representative Chuck Isenhart for a series of discussions with community leaders and local officials.
The visit, which includes stops in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, and Iowa City, aims to explore ways that local governments and stakeholders can capitalize on federal resources for climate initiatives, according to a Wednesday press release.
