Strategy is a science and technology based approach to reducing nutrients to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico

(DES MOINES) - Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad today joined Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Director Chuck Gipp from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Dr. John Lawrence from Iowa State University to announce the release of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy for public comment.

"Iowans care about our natural resources and want to protect them for future generations." Branstad said. "This strategy keeps us at the forefront of using voluntary, science-based practices to improve water quality in our state, and is an important step forward."

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy is a science and technology-based approach to assess and reduce nutrients delivered to Iowa waterways and the Gulf of Mexico.  The strategy outlines voluntary efforts to reduce nutrients in surface water from both point sources, such as wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities, and nonpoint sources, including farm fields and urban areas, in a scientific, reasonable and cost effective manner.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) worked with Iowa State University over a two-year period to develop the strategy.  The resulting strategy is the first time such a comprehensive and integrated approach addressing both point and nonpoint sources of nutrients has been completed.

The Iowa strategy has been developed in response to the 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan that calls for the 12 states along the Mississippi River to develop strategies to reduce nutrient loading to the Gulf of Mexico.  The Iowa strategy follows the recommended framework provided by EPA in 2011 and is only the second state to complete a statewide nutrient reduction strategy.

"The strategy's science assessment provides a research-based foundation to quantify the effectiveness of current practices for reducing nutrient losses from the landscape," said John Lawrence, associate dean for extension and outreach programs in ISU's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of ISU Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension. "The assessment reflects two years of work to evaluate and model the effects of the practices by scientists from ISU, IDALS, DNR, USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and other institutions."

Iowans are invited to review the strategy and provide feedback during a 45 day comment period that starts today and will end on January 4, 2013.  The full report, additional information and place for comments can be found at www.nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu.

In addition, presentations will be made to farmers, certified crop advisors and others in the agriculture industry as part of ISU Extension and Outreach educational meetings beginning this fall. Thousands of people will learn of the strategy, where to find more information and how to provide comments about it.

Point Sources (DNR)

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be working with major facilities throughout the state to reduce nutrient discharges from point sources to Iowa's waters with a goal of reducing total phosphorus by 16 percent and total nitrogen by 4 percent.

"The DNR has been working with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Iowa State for nearly two years and support this strategy document and the collaborative process that created it.  Many Iowans enjoy our state's natural resources and it important we protect them for future generations," Gipp said.

Nonpoint Sources

To address nutrient transport from nonpoint sources the strategy uses a comprehensive, first of its kind scientific assessment of conservation practices and associated costs to reduce loading of nutrients to Iowa surface waters.  The strategy identifies five key categories to focus the efforts in addressing nonpoint sources and identifies multiple action items within each category.

The five categories are: Setting Priorities; Documenting Progress; Research and Technology; Strengthen Outreach, Education, Collaboration; and Funding.

By harnessing the collective innovation and capacity of Iowa agricultural organizations, ag businesses and farmers the strategy takes a significant step forward towards implementing practices to improve water and soil quality.

"This strategy provides the most up-to-date scientific information available to farmers as they seek to use the best practices available to reduce nutrient delivery from their farm," Northey said.  "The goal of this strategy is to get more conservation practices on the ground.  This is not about rules or regulations, instead this strategy provides resources to farmers to help them improve water quality."

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today led the push, along with a group of lawmakers, in calling for the passage of the Production Tax Credit for wind energy.  The lawmakers took to the House floor to call on Speaker Boehner to bring up and pass legislation to extend the wind energy tax credit, which expires at the end of the year.  Video of his remarks can be found here.

"Iowa is the second largest producer of wind energy. Wind manufacturing involves about 200 companies and 6,000 good-paying jobs for Iowans," said Loebsack on the House floor.  "Congress should not play games with people's jobs and pull the rug out from an industry employing thousands in the middle of an economic downturn.  The wind credit is also important for energy production and job creation. Congress must extend the wind credit now, before more jobs are lost."

Loebsack has taken the lead in Congress to demand that Speaker Boehner act to ensure the jobs associated with wind energy, including 6,000 in Iowa, are not lost because of the inaction by the Leadership in the House.  Since the beginning of the year, Loebsack has met personally with the President to encourage his leadership on this issue and stressed the importance of passing this legislation on multiple occasions with Speaker Boehner.

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of four governors and a U.S. senator today urged Congress to extend the production tax credit for wind energy, one of a number of tax incentives scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

Governor Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Capitol Hill in Washington for a news conference which Governors John Kitzhaber (D-OR), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) joined by conference call.

The renewable energy leaders expressed optimism that Congress will approve an extension of the production tax credit for wind energy during the lame duck session that begins this week.

"Governors want to add perspective on the importance of extending the PTC," Branstad said.  "My state has directly seen the negative impact related to the PTC not being extended earlier.  For example, Siemans recently laid off over 400 employees at its plant in Fort Madison, Iowa, and Clipper Wind Power laid off 100 workers at its plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa."

Grassley said the uncertainty about the future of this tax incentive and others "hurts the economic good these policies do, and Washington should have learned the lesson given by biodiesel when it was allowed to lapse two years ago.  "In addition to jobs being lost, an important source of domestic, renewable energy was hurt.  The wind-energy production tax credit is designed to level the playing field against coal-fired and nuclear electricity generation.  The credit has been tremendously successful for renewable energy development and job creation," he said.

"We need to invest in domestic energy sources that not only meet our energy needs, but create healthier communities.  We need to invest in energy resources that are clean and renewable, and affordable.  Few policies offer a better return on investment for our country than the wind energy production tax credit," Kitzhaber said.  "Nationally, the wind energy industry now drives $10-20 billion per year in private sector capital investment and employs 75,000 Americans.  These are jobs created right here in our own backyards that cannot be outsourced.

Branstad is chairman and Kitzhaber is vice chairman of the Governors' Wind Energy Coalition.  Brownback and Hickenlooper are members of the Coalition.

Grassley first authored the production tax credit for wind energy in 1992.  He has worked to extend it over the years and secured a one-year extension in legislation adopted in August by the Senate Finance Committee.  Grassley said no single energy tax incentive should be singled out over others before a broad-based tax reform debate.

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WHEREAS, science and technology have a profound impact on shaping our world; and,

WHEREAS, scientists and inventors are deserving of our respect and praise for their contributions to moving our world forward; and,

WHEREAS, Illinois is home to numerous prominent scientists and inventors; and,

WHEREAS, fifty years ago, in 1962, Illinois native Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr. revolutionized the way we light our world by inventing the first practically useful visible light-emitting diode (LED), a more energy efficient, longer lasting, more durable and mercury free source of lighting; and,

WHEREAS, Nick Holonyak, Jr. was born in Zeigler, Illinois and earned his BS, MS and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and,

WHEREAS, Dr. Holonyak was the first graduate student of two-time Nobel laureate John Bardeen, an Illinois professor who invented the transistor; and,

WHEREAS, as a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1963, Dr. Holonyak and his students have developed the first quantum-well laser, creating a practical laser for fiber-optic communications, compact disc players, medical diagnosis, surgery, ophthalmology and many other applications; and,

WHEREAS, few scientists and inventors have done more to transform our lives than Nick Holonyak, Jr., the holder of over 40 patents and inventor of the light-emitting diode (LED), the red-light semiconductor laser (used in CD and DVD players) and the shorted emitter p-n-p-n switch (used in light dimmers and power tools); and,

THEREFORE, I, Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim October 24, 2012 as NICK HOLONYAK DAY in Illinois, to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the light-emitting diode (LED) and one of our state's greatest innovators, Dr. Nick Holonyak, "the Father of the Visible LED."

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