The effects of climate change, such as droughts and destructive storms, have been visible across Iowa in recent years. That's prompted calls for state lawmakers to hold more direct talks about solutions.

The Iowa Legislature reconvenes in January. Before that happens, groups like the Center for Rural Affairs want recommendations to address climate change around the state.

And state Rep. Chuck Isenhart - D-Dubuque - joined the request for an interim committee to study the matter before next session. He noted a panel with the National Conference of State Legislatures just adopted a climate change directive, and that should spur more action.

"The states are seeing that climate change is unfortunately here to stay," said Isenhart, "and we need to start taking it more seriously."

The Legislative Council, which approves interim committees, recently met and did not include the request in its agenda.

Isnehart said outcomes from the upcoming midterm election could play a role in sparking more conversation.

It's been more than a decade since Iowa government broadly looked at climate change. Recently, GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds has focused on carbon sequestration.

That has led to a controversial private sector project that would transfer carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and move it underground for storage in another state.

Meanwhile, the Center for Rural Affair's Policy Director Johnathan Hladik said the ripple effect from climate change in farming communities is getting too big to ignore.

"Agriculture is a core pillar of Iowa's economy and when farmers suffer, so does the rest of the state," said Hladik. "Farmers often, when they have income, they're spending that in that rural community. And so, whenever that money stops flowing, whether it's because of a flood or a derecho or drought, is something that should get lawmakers' attention."

Hladik said smaller farming communities could encounter worsening population trends if farmers see more losses due to weather events. And he said he feels this isn't as divisive of an issue as some might think.

"Ag leaders are ready for it," said Hladik, "leaders in the manufacturing industry are ready for it, certainly the local elected leaders in some of these towns that are dealing with the derecho or dealing with floods are ready for it."

Offshore wind in New York and New Jersey is becoming a large contributor to job growth.

New York's offshore wind investments are slated to create between 18,000 and 23,000 jobs, according to a state estimate.

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority reported offshore wind jobs will hit their peak in 2030 at 20,000, with steady growth in the next decade.

More than 120 elected officials in New Jersey have signed a letter calling for further growth in the sector.

Caren Fitzpatrick, an Atlantic County commissioner, believes southern New Jersey can become a hub to provide offshore wind development for the East Coast.

"Our manufacturing area over in Salem County, in the southwestern part of the state, is perfectly situated to create and build the turbines, the monopolies, the bases, and they can just ship them down the Delaware River," Fitzpatrick pointed out.

Fitzpatrick noted misinformation about the wind farms endangers their futures. Some of the opposition surrounds the turbines obstructing Atlantic City's views, and hazards to bird species. But the Ocean Wind Offshore Wind Farm will be 15 miles offshore, about five times farther than the human eye can see, and eight miles farther than birds migrate.

Outside of jobs, some see the state's shift to renewables as a health benefit. A 2022 report showed parts of Burlington County are more at risk for different diseases from toxic air particulate matter than others.

Balvir Singh, a Burlington County commissioner, feels it's time for New Jersey to shift to renewables.

"The bottom line is this: Clean energy is needed to protect our residents from the worst impacts of climate change," Singh asserted. "We must slow or reverse dependence on fossil fuels, and must continue to move forward with our transition to alternative sources such as solar power and wind farms."

Singh added state residents are already seeing the effects of climate change. New Jersey's 2022 State of the Climate report showed the state, along with much of the northeastern U.S. is facing increased summer temperatures, but rainfall remains unchanged, leading to brief drought conditions increasing.

In Yellowstone National Park, 30,000 acres are protected from mining by Congressional order, but there is a sliver left unprotected, and a Montana nonprofit is trying to change it.

The Bozeman-based Greater Yellowstone Coalition wants to close what it sees as a dangerous loophole, which could still allow mining to happen on the edge of the world's first national park.

The group is trying to raise $6.25 million to buy the land and mineral rights on private property in what is known as the Yellowstone gateway along the northern edge of the park, to prevent Crevice Mining Group from prospecting for gold.

Scott Christensen, executive director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said the deal will "extinguish the last real and significant mining threat on the border of Yellowstone National Park forever."

"Purchasing the mineral rights, the mining leases, the claims that they've staked, the mining permit they have, all of the proprietary plans and exploration information that they have," Christensen outlined. "Allowing them to walk away and avoid a mine being built on the boundary of Yellowstone."

Christensen pointed out the coalition has until Oct. 1 to raise the remaining $2.35 million to buy the mining rights, or Crevice will move forward with its plans.

In addition to concerns over mining, Crevice Mountain, where the mine is being proposed, is also prime grizzly bear habitat and home to a migration corridor for elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep.

Christensen emphasized wildlife are another reason for concern about a potential mine.

"I just have to believe there are a lot of people out there in our country and really in the world who share the same passion that we do for Yellowstone National Park and this amazing greater Yellowstone ecosystem," Christensen contended.

The coalition website states a mine on Crevice Mountain would permanently alter vital wildlife habitat north of Yellowstone and could severely impact the character, water quality and aesthetic value of much of the park itself.


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The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulates carbon dioxide pipelines, and is holding a two-day conference in Des Moines to take public input and discuss issues surrounding the pipelines.

Opponents believe they threaten air and water quality as well as the people who live near them. Ethanol producers say removing carbon dioxide via pipelines and burying it deep in the ground through a process known as carbon capture and sequestration is an effective way to address safety and environmental concerns.

Ava Auen-Ryan, director of farming and environment for the group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, said environmentalists want a federal moratorium on the pipelines until they can be studied more thoroughly, and will make it clear to federal regulators at the conference.

"I think we hope to build pressure on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to do their job well," Auen-Ryan explained. "Also to build pressure on state and federal entities to enact a moratorium on CO2 pipelines."

The agenda showed the committee will discuss public awareness, emergency response and effective communication with emergency first responders and with the public during the conference, which takes place today and tomorrow.

Beyond the potential long-term environmental impacts and health implications, Auen-Ryan also cautioned about the immediate human threats posed in the event a pipeline should rupture, and pointed to a break in Mississippi three years ago, sickening 45 people.

Ryan emphasized the very nature of carbon dioxide, which displaces oxygen in the environment, makes it extremely dangerous in an emergency.

"Gas-combustion vehicles; they can't work," Auen-Ryan pointed out. "They need oxygen to work, so that means that emergency response folks cannot get into those communities and people cannot leave the communities via car. And we also know that rural communities in Iowa are not equipped to respond to something like that. "

The agency will also discuss safety expectations for pipeline operators as well as the general state of pipeline infrastructure. There are currently three companies planning to build carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa.