Environmental Finance Bill Jump-starts Jobs, Construction Projects

CHICAGO - July 29, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn signed a financing bill that provides a state-backed guarantee supporting construction of renewable energy and clean coal projects that will create jobs across Illinois.

"Illinois leads the way at protecting our environment while developing new green jobs for the 21st Century," said Governor Quinn. "This legislation boosts investment in clean energy and sustainable practices that reduce our carbon footprint while generating greater employment opportunities."

SB 1906 clarifies the Illinois Finance Authority's ("IFA") existing bonding authority for renewable energy and clean coal projects. Under this law, the State and IFA will work in partnership to make available up to $3 billion in guaranteed energy project financing for qualified renewable energy and clean coal efforts. In addition, the law also increases the state and IFA's loan guarantee from $75 million to $225 million for agricultural businesses. It also provides guarantees to back qualified renewable energy projects such as wind, biodiesel or biomass initiatives that are related to agriculture.

This law also positions Illinois to compete for federal stimulus loan guarantees designated for the new green projects.

"This legislation will help Illinois companies take a leading role in the green energy industry," said Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria), sponsor of the legislation. "It will create new jobs and move our state's economy in a promising direction."

"This is another great example of why Illinois will continue to be a national leader in taking advantage of all of our natural resources in a responsible way, while expanding our economy and creating good new jobs," said Mike T. Carrigan, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO.

"It is an important day for clean, renewable energy throughout Illinois, which will protect our environment and power our economy," said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center in Chicago.

At the bill signing ceremony, Governor Quinn was joined by Warren Ribley, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; William A. Brandt Jr., chairman of the Illinois Finance Authority; Dr. Roger Herrin, chairman of the Illinois Finance Authority Energy Committee; Rep. Deborah L. Graham (D-Oak Park); Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines).

The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) is a self-financed, state authority principally engaged in issuing taxable and tax-exempt bonds, making loans, and investing capital for businesses, non-profit corporations, agriculture and local government units statewide. For more information: www.il-fa.com.

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DES MOINES ? The Nature Conservancy announced today that it will receive $100,000 from the Alliant Energy Foundation for its work within the Lower Cedar Valley in southeast Iowa. The gift will advance the Conservancy's efforts to restore land within the region's floodplain.

"We want to thank the Alliant Energy Foundation for this generous gift for conservation," said Sean McMahon, director of The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. "By working with willing landowners to restore relatively unproductive farmland, we can help reduce the impacts of future floods - protecting life and property - and at the same time improve habitat for native fish and wildlife."

"The Alliant Energy Foundation is pleased to invest in restoring the floodplain to its natural condition, which is a positive for the both the environment and for the communities located near the river," said Barbara Swan, Alliant Energy Foundation President.  "Increasing the amount of water that the floodplain can store reduces peak flood levels downstream and that helps reduce future flooding potential for the homes and businesses within the Lower Cedar Valley as well as within the communities we serve."

The Conservancy's strategies on the Lower Cedar Valley include :

· Studying the links between the region's geology, topography and vegetation to flooding. The research is expected to help determine how to restore floodplain habitat and hydrology for maximum environmental and public benefit.

· Working with the Natural Resource Conservation Service to assist with the processing and monitoring of floodplain easements and on restoring floodplain wetlands

· Acquiring a legal interest - either through purchase or conservation easement - in 280 acres of floodplain wetlands. The Conservancy will focus on areas that buffer its existing preserves and projects including Swamp White Oak Preserve, Maytag Preserve, Cone Lake, Pike Run-Wiesse Slouth and the Iowa River bottoms.

More than 300 species of native plants and over 40 different types of reptiles and amphibians are found in the region due to the great variety of habitat found there including sand prairie, floodplain forest and oak savanna. The valley is also home to swamp white oak woodlands and rich peat fens, which are exceptionally rare plant communities not only in Iowa but also on Earth.

"The diversity of native plants and wildlife within the Lower Cedar Valley - including rare massasauga rattlesnakes and ornate box turtles - makes it a priority for conservation," said Matt Fisher, the Conservancy's Eastern Iowa project director.

Still, there is room for improvement. The Lower Cedar Valley's floodplain oak savannas were established when the forest was more open. Fire and seasonal floods controlled growth. Without adequate fire, too many trees grow in an unnatural density. The forest then becomes shadier, preventing new oak trees from growing and suppressing understory plants. The Cedar River also is flooding unnaturally, causing certain populations of plants and animals to decline.

"We need to work harder than ever to make sure that the high-level of destruction caused by the flooding of June 2008 does not reoccur in the future," said Tom Aller, Alliant Energy - Interstate Power and Light President.  "It's important that we and others invest to improve the Lower Cedar Valley and bring balance back to the natural areas and floodplain."

The Conservancy currently owns more than 1,000 acres in the valley and an additional 20,000 acres have been protected by private landowners and partners. The Conservancy is working with partners to focus on natural areas management, sharing research and developing science-based conservation plans.

Long-term goals include working with partners to conserve and restore 5,000 acres of swamp white oak and floodplain savannas through controlled fire and other science-based techniques and to create a viable aquatic passage to the Mississippi River, providing critical habitat for large freshwater fish that spawn in its tributaries.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

More than 85 students, who participate in the Scott County Family Y's After-School programs, will come together for Earth Day near the Collins House at Garfield Park, 1234 E. 29th Street, Davenport. The clean-up begins at 3:00pm. The students will be picking up litter and planting flowers in that area for approximately 45 minutes.

The Scott County Family Y strongly believes in teaching children to give back to the community through volunteerism and recognizes the importance of Earth Day as a way to reinforce the YMCA's core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.

On Site Contacts: Angie Gillespie, Youth Leadership and Development Director, West Family YMCA; Adam Backous, Youth Leadership and Development Director, Davenport Family YMCA; Sarah Harris, Youth Leadership and Development Director, North Family YMCA.

April 22 is Earth Day and a time when people in Iowa and across the nation take time to promote environmental citizenship. Earth Day began when a pioneering Midwestern Senator named Gaylord Nelson proclaimed that we had an environmental crisis in the United States. Since then, the day has helped to bring our nation's concerns over a cleaner environment and conserving resources to the forefront of American ideals.

Thirty-nine years have passed and in that time we have promoted landmark protections such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. We have made great strides but we still have many challenges ahead. Iowans have a strong attachment to the land with an appreciation for the environment, which surely has a lot to do with our agricultural heritage.  Now there is even more we can do with simple actions to combat the policies and failed habits of the past, and preserve our planet for generations to come.

One of the fundamentals of becoming environmentally friendly is the act of recycling. Not only can you recycle basic materials such as glass jars, bottles, aluminum cans and paper but items such home appliances, eye glasses, cell phones, computers and other electronics can also be recycled. These efforts will help keep our landfills clean and drive down the cost of raw materials. For more information on where and how to recycle in your community please visit www.earth911.com or call 1-800-CleanUp.

Conserving energy is another way to celebrate Earth Day. Simple actions such as turning off the lights when you leave a room, buying energy efficient appliances and light bulbs and unplugging unneeded accessories have a big impact on the amount of electricity Iowans use. Not only do these efforts reduce our carbon footprint, but they are also an excellent way to save money. For example, switching just one traditional light bulb to an energy efficient bulb can save a family up to $30 over the life of a single bulb. With the average American household having 30 light fixtures, this change could mean an average savings of $900 per family.

Iowa's farmers are also doing their part by being good stewards of the land. In the 2002 farm bill, I created the Conservation Security Program (CSP), which pays farmers for maintaining and installing new conservation practices that protect our land and water. In the 2008 farm bill, we were able to make even greater investments in such programs.  These initiatives are a new direction in agriculture policy because they reward farmers for how they grow and produce crops and livestock rather than for what they grow.

Additionally, Iowans are helping to protect our planet as leaders in the production of clean, renewable home-grown sources of energy. We have already seen the benefits of biofuel production and now Iowa is second in the nation for the production of wind power. These sources of energy are not only good for the environment, they also wean us off our dependence on foreign oil and create new 'green' jobs in our state and across the country.

So while we have made steps in the right direction, there is still much that we can do to protect our planet and preserve our natural resources. I encourage all Iowans to do their part to celebrate Earth Day both on April 22 and all year long.

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