Iowa House of Representatives
State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
 
February 26, 2009
 
Dear House Member:
 
We the undersigned write to urge you to reject global warming alarmism that hurts Iowa economic
competitiveness, affordable energy development opportunities and most importantly the poor and working class
families who are disproportionately impacted by escalating energy costs.   
 
Sadly, Iowa’s families are already under siege economically during these very tough economic times and now
many well meaning leaders want to limit economic growth and affordable energy development like the new
energy plants to serve our citizens.  We need not add to the crushing burden which Iowa families already suffer
as they pay for increased winter heating bills, rising health care costs, higher education, pre-school, and other
basic necessities like food and shelter.
 
Furthermore, we oppose legislation that imposes regulations on Iowa energy usage through a so-called “cap-
and-trade” provision in a vain attempt to change global average temperatures.  Not only is the underlying
assumption of such legislation – that we are experiencing catastrophic, anthropogenic global warming -- highly
questionable, but even under the assumptions of most such theories, the current offering of cap-and-trade
measures would produce imperceptible climate change while doing grave harm to our economy, the poor, and
U.S. competitiveness.  
 
The truth is, even if America could reduce its CO2 emissions to the levels demanded by the various “cap-and-
trade” bills and every European nation reduced their emissions to the levels required under the Kyoto
agreement, it would have little discernable impact on global temperatures. That is due largely to the fact that
almost all emissions growth over the 21st century is projected to occur in India, China, and other energy-poor
developing countries. Furthermore, satellite measurements indicate that Earth’s atmosphere is warming at a
modest rate—roughly 0.14 degrees centigrade per decade. It is not clear that such warming poses a threat to
human beings, and may be beneficial.
 
Even without the science-based skepticism about human-induced global climate change, there is little to suggest
that “cap-and-trade” will do anything except weaken our economy. According to a report from the European
Environmental Agency, European nations that committed to reducing emissions have accumulated significant
costs without reducing emissions.  In fact, nearly every one of them has higher emissions today than in 1997.  
 
We are also concerned that such legislation will lead to higher food prices, hurting the poor.  According to
Purdue University’s Department of Agricultural Economics: “Based on expected 2007 farm level crop prices,
that additional food cost is estimated to be $22 billion for U.S. consumers compared to farm prices for the crops
produced in 2005. A rough estimate is that about $15 billion of this increase is related to the recent surge in
demand to use crops for fuel.”  This burden of higher food prices will be borne by the poor and needy, not only
in the U.S., but in the developing world.   
 
Finally, a strong note of caution has been sounded by the recent climate data.  All four major global temperature
monitoring organizations (Hadley, NASA, UAH, and RSS) have released data documenting that over the past
year, global temperatures have dropped precipitously.  The total amount of cooling ranges from 0.65C to 0.75C.  
This is the single fastest temperature change ever recorded -- either up or down – for all four organizations.    
 
We urge you to reject the alarmist claims of proponents of catastrophic, anthropogenic global warming and
stand by Iowa families as you consider legislative decisions impacting economic competitiveness, affordable
energy development opportunities, and most importantly the poor and working class families who are
disproportionately impacted by escalating energy costs.   
 
*       The costs detailed in the study are preliminary and the study’s model will be run against updated baseline
numbers soon, with additional states added at that time.  The preliminary study results can be viewed at:  
http://www.accf.org/publications/reports/lieberman-warner.html
 
Signed,  
 
Steve Scheffler, President, Iowa Christian Alliance, Republican National Committeeman, IA
Dr. Don Racheter, President, Public Interest Institute
Rep. Ralph Watts
Norm Pawlewski, Lobbyist, Iowa Christian Alliance
Gary Kirke, Kirke Financial Services, L.L.C.
Norm and Coretha Rozendaal, Board Member, Iowa Christian Alliance
Kim Lehman, Republican National Committeewoman, IA
Senator Jerry Behn
Bob Gamble, United Methodist Pastor, Retired
Morris Hurd, United Methodist Pastor
Mike and Ann Canady, Board Member, Iowa Christian Alliance
Wes Enos, Republican State Central Committee, 3rd District
Beth Greiman, Teacher
Bill Anderson, Republican State Central Committee, 5th District  
James A. Heavens, Mayor, Dyersville, IA
Paul and Cindi Thurmond
Sen. Paul McKinley, Minority Leader, Iowa Senate
Kenny Streck, Activist, Ida Grove, IA
Chuck Hurley, Iowa Family Policy Center
Ricky Dean, Engineer, Pella Corporation, Mahaska County GOP Chairman
Susan McCloy, DeWitt, Iowa
John Bloom, Polk County GOP Chairman
Dr. Ben Thornley, Vice President, Kingsway Christian College
Creighton Cox, Director of Government Affairs, Home Builders Association of Greater Des Moines
Steve and Kim Carlson, Activists, Sioux City
Merle & Kathy Oltmans, Activists, Council Bluffs
Jerry Tweeten
Rep. Dwayne Alons, House District 4
Bill Ramsey, Former Black Hawk County GOP Chairman
Dr. Emad Shenouda
Robert Cramer, President, C.E.O. Cramer And Associates, INC.
Vicki Stogdill,  Stogdill's TV & Appliance, Des Moines, Iowa
Bill Seid
Bernie Hayes, Board Member, Iowa Christian Alliance
Reid Houser, Republican State Central Committee, 5th District
Joseph A. Best Jr.
Carol Hanson
Kay Ealy
Jeff W. Courter, Attorney
Chris Long, Ohio Christian Alliance
Eldon Pals, Republican State Central Committee, 3rd District
Sharon & George Howard  
Joe Jacobsen
Greg and Lois Sweet, Norwalk, Iowa
John Werden, Carroll County Attorney
Linda Holub
Charles and Dianne Heyn
Robert M. and Lucille M. Williams, Former Pottawattamie County Supervisor
Betty Sorenson, Ames, Iowa
James A. Heavens, Mayor, Dyersville, IA
John and Carolyn Chenoweth
Gregory Barntsen, Attorney
Al Manning, Former Waterloo Mayor   
Mary Lou and Grover Hartsuch
Sandy Blessing
Vicky Kessler
Emma Aquino-Nemecek, President/CEO Music 2 Link US Productions, Inc.
Jay Nardini, Attorney Cedar Falls
LeRoy R. Cobia
Hubert Hagemann
M. Kevin McLaughlin
J. Lisa Smith, Republican State Central Committee, 2nd District
Kerry Jech, Pastor, New Hope Christian Church
Gordon and Cheryl Castile
Frank and Carmen Reitsma, Mahaska County
Mark Costello
Myrna & Chris Garcia
Karen and Randy Balderston
Joe Grandanette
Carl R Gray, Private Citizen and Voter
Kim Hiscox
Dawna D Ray
David Smith
Marti Melton- Streeter PhD, Director of Educational Services in Boone County
Stanley and Cathryn Kern
Marcia Ledvina
Gary & Sandy Jordan
George and Catherine Kurtinitis, Perry, Iowa  
Dick Pipho, retired businessman
J. Robert Mundell
Brenda Mundell
Erica Mundell
Joshua Mundell
Isaiah Mundell  
Sondra Maanum
Shirley Marshall
Philip Van De Voorde
Donald R. & Kathleen J. Benson -   Jefferson, Iowa    
Hon. Patricia Cline, Former City Councilwoman, Dubuque, IA
Rod Blum Former Dubuque County GOP Chairman, Dubuque
LaVerne Anderson
Mark and Barbie Miller, Clive, Iowa
Tim and Renee LaFleur, Bondurant, IA
Mike Banks
Lynn Proudfoot
Elaine K. Berry MD, family practice, Atlantic, IA
James W. Berry, farmer, Lewis, IA
Steve Shaw, Shaw Electric
 

 
*Organizations are listed for identification purposes only