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Who Is My Legislator?

Federal Legislators
Congressman Leonard Boswell  
Senator Chuck Grassley  
Senator Tom Harkin  

State Legislators
Locate your state legislators by map or by searching your home address.

Representative Richard Arnold  
Representative Paul Bell 
Representative Eric Palmer
Representative Jodi Tymeson
Representative Jim Van Englenhoven

Senator Staci Appel
Senator Dennis Black
Senator Paul McKinley
Senator Thomas Rielly

About The Issues:

Baseload.  A large, efficient generating station that provides dependable electric power year-round at a low cost per kWh.  Coal-fired, nuclear, hydro, and (increasingly) big natural gas-fired power plants make up most baseload generation in the United States, although smaller-scale biomass facilities (such as anaerobic digesters and plants burning wood waste, poultry litter, or landfill gas), if properly operated, can also produce baseload output (though in much smaller quantities).  Solar thermal energy (concentrating solar power) has begun making inroads as a baseload source in the Southwest U.S.

Biomass. Biological material that can be used as a fuel or exploited for industrial purposes (such as chemicals, fibers, plastics, etc.) In electricity generation, biomass consists of two types: closed-loop biomass (trees grown expressly for power production) or open-loop biomass (sawdust, tree trimmings, timber slash, wood chips, farm byproducts, animal waste, and landfill gas).

Cap and Trade. A method of regulating emissions. "Cap" refers to setting limits on the emissions of greenhouse gases and "trade" refers to selling of those allowances between companies responsible for regulated emissions.

Captive Shipper. Utilities, chemical manufacturers, steel mills, mines, lumber and wood products companies, and grain processors that must rely on a single railroad line for transporting goods or receiving raw materials.

Carbon Capture & Storage. (CCS) The technical process of separating carbon dioxide gas from power plant emissions (primarily coal- and natural gas-fired generation); compressing it; pumping it down into spent oil and natural gas wells, saline reservoirs, or inaccessible coal seams; and entombing it there forever.

Carbon Dioxide. A colorless, odorless gas produced by all animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms during respiration and used by plants during photosynthesis.  Carbon dioxide also gets emitted when fossil fuels like coal and natural gas or vegetable matter are burned and from volcanoes and other geothermal processes such as hot springs and geysers.  Although essential to life, the gas is increasingly viewed as a pollutant - higher carbon dioxide emissions as a result of industrialization, some scientists contend, have created a heat-trapping greenhouse effect in the atmosphere that's now disrupting climate patterns.

Carbon Footprint.  The impact human activities have on the environment based on the amount of greenhouse gases produced as measured in units of carbon dioxide.  Individuals, nations, and organizations can use the calculations to conceptualize their contribution to climate change.

Carbon Sequestration.  The permanent removal of carbon dioxide from (or before it enters) the atmosphere by both natural (crops, forests, oceans, soil, and vegetation) and man-made means.  Synonymous with the "storage" part of carbon capture and storage.

Carbon Tax. A levy on energy sources that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, based on the carbon content of a particular fuel.  Carbon taxes are aimed at reducing consumption of coal, natural gas, and oil and with it, production of greenhouse gases.

Clean-Coal Technology. Any industrial system or application that reduces emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Clean Renewable Energy Bonds. (CREBS) Created in the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005, these bonds act as interest-free loans and provide not-for-profit electric cooperatives with a way to invest in renewable generation.  CREBs level the "green power financing playing field" with investor-owned utilities, which can qualify for investment tax credits to support solar installation adn production tax credits to "sprout" other renewable electricity production, open-loop biomass (sawdust, tree trimmings, timber slash, wood waste, farm byproducts, animal waste, and landfill gas), small hydro (less to 25 MW), and tidal (ocean wave) power.  By the end of 2008, $450 million in CREBs had helped electric cooperative develop more than 4,500 MW of renewable generation.

Climate Change. Periods of freezing or warming experienced by planet Earth.  Policymakers are now focused on finding ways to reduce man-made greenhouse gas emissions blamed for contributing to what some scientists contend is a current cycle of global warming.  Electric cooperatives are encouraging elected officials to make sure that any climate change solutions adopted can be sustained economically and politically for decades to come.

Distributed Generation. Small, decentralized generation technologies (typically in the range of 3 kW to 10 MW) designed to supplement or replace power produced by large generating plants.  In most cases, distributed generation is located at or near the point of use. For homeowners and farmers, examples include standby, or emergency, generators that run on diesel fuel or natural gas and "backyard" renewable energy systems such as anaerobic digesters, small wind turbines, photovoltaics, and microhydro plants.  In situations where an unscheduled outage could result in tens of thousands of dollars of lost production and possibly damaged equipment or dead animals, many commercial and industrial consumers - such as manufacturing firms, data centers, retail outlets, and large livestock operations - install distributed generation like diesel generators or natural gas-fired combustion turbines (or versions that can run on a combination of both fuels) as supplemental power supply and a way to enhance service reliability and decrease energy costs.

Energy Efficiency. Using less energy to perform the same function.  Sometimes called the other power supply or the fifth fuel (after coal, nuclear, natural gas, and renewables).  Energy efficiency measures - a real resource that can be measured and verified - help electric cooperatives temporarily head off the need for building new generation while curbing greenhouse gas emissions.  In general, the biggest payoff for electric cooperatives come from consumers implementing recommendations of energy audits and switching to more energy-efficient geothermal and air-source heat pumps, lighting, and appliances, combined with improved power plant operating efficiencies and expansion of load management programs that reduce electricity purchases during expensive demand peaks.

EPRI Prism. A comprehensive set of seven recommendations made by the Electric Power Research Institute that would, if adopted, allow the electric utility industry to slow, halt, and eventually decrease carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2030 while still meeting demand for affordable, reliable electricity.  The seven recommendations are: boosting energy efficiency, improving the operating efficiency of coal-fired power plants, investing in renewable energy, expanding nuclear power capacity, capturing and storing carbon produced by coal-fired power plants, adding distributed generation resources, and putting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on the road.

Global Warming. A gradual warming of Earth's atmosphere thought by some to be caused by increased concentrations of water vapor and gases like carbon dioxide. Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels are though by some to increase concentrations of these "greenhouse gases," which absorb outgoing radiation and trap heat closer to the ground.

Greenhouse Effect. A climate change phenomenon caused by the trapping of heat due to a build up of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases in the Earth's atmosphere.  James Hansen, a NASA researcher, announced the greenhouse effect in 1988.  Some scientists accept that greenhouse effect chiefly stems from human activities, notably the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil coupled with deforestation.  However, natural cyclical factors such as a boost in solar radiation, changes in oceanic conveyors, and increased volcanic activity also play a role.

Greenhouse Gases. Carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases that may contribute to the warming of Earth's atmosphere. 

Grid. A network of interconnected high-voltage transmission lines and power generating facilities that allows utilities and other suppliers to share resources on a regional basis.  The North American Reliability Corporation oversees reliability of the electric grid covering the United States, most of Canada, and the Mexican state of Baja California Norte. The nation's electric grid consists of three main sections, the Eastern Interconnection, which extends from the foot of the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic seaboard, excluding most of Texas; the Western Interconnection, which runs from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast; and the Texas Interconnection, which covers most of Texas.

Investment Tax Credit. (ITC) A federal tax incentive available to homeowners, businesses, and investor-owned utilities to encourage solar power deployment.  The federal Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 extended the 30 percent ITC for both residential and commercial solar installations for eight years.  The ITC helps lower the cost of power from solar projects to a level competitive with conventional fuels, like coal or natural gas.  Electric cooperatives are not eligible for the ITC, but can use Clean Renewable Energy Bonds for the same purpose.

Net Metering. An incentive where owners of small renewable energy systems receive retail credit for at least a portion of the electricity they generate.  In its pure form, the consumer's electric meter will spin backwards, effectively banking excess electricity production for future credit.  In reality, rules vary significantly by utility and state.

"Our Energy, Our Future". The largest and most aggressive grassroots awareness campaign in electric cooperative history.  At its core, the effort south to motivate more than 40 million electric cooperative consumers in 47 states to discuss with elected officials the complexities associated with providing safe, reliable, and affordable power in an environmentally responsible fashion over coming decades.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. (PHEV) A car or truck that relies on a combination of a gasoline or diesel engine and 9-kWh lithium-ion batteries for propulsion.  Unlike standard hybrid vehicles, where much smaller 1.3 kWh nickel-metal hydride batteries are recharged by the gasoline engine and a regenerative braking system, PHEV batters are fully recharged only through a regular 110-V outlet.

Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. (PURPA) One of five parts of the National Energy Act of 1978 designed to promote greater use of self-generated, mostly "clean and green" energy.  PURPA created an electricity sales market for non-utility generators, independent power producers (such as industrial cogenerators), or consumers with small-scale renewable generation like anaerobic digesters or solar systems, by requiring electric utilities to buy power from them at the utility's avoided cost. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 revoked sections of PURPA requiring utilities to buy power from or sell power to these qualifying facilities if the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission finds they have access to real-time competitive wholesale power markets.

Qualifying Facility. A distinct class of electricity producers consisting of either small-scale operators who normally self-generate power for their own needs but may have surplus energy (such as residential electric consumers who operate "backyard" renewable energy systems), or cogenerators who happen to generate excess electric energy as a byproduct of industrial activities.  When a generation facility of this type meets Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements for ownership, size, and efficiency, local electric utilities are obliged to purchase the output from it at avoided cost.  Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, utilities do not have to buy power from or sell power to qualifying facilities if FERC finds they have access to real-time competitive wholesale power markets.

Renewable Portfolio Standards. (RPS) Laws passed by 28 states and the District of Columbia (as of late 2008) that require investor-owned utilities and competitive electric generation suppliers to add increasing amounts of "clean and green" electricity to their power supply mix (ranging from 10 percent to 30 percent) by a certain date (generally between 2018 and 2025). In 13 of those states, electric cooperatives must meet some type of RPS mandate.  Hawaii, Nevada, and North Caroline allow energy efficiency to count toward half of their RPS.  Six other state (Florida, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia) have passed non-binding renewable goals.

Renewables. Sources of energy that are naturally replenishable, including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro, and tidal (ocean wave) power.