Telecommunications & Renewable Energry
Alternate Energy Revolving Loan Program (AERLP). $10 million ($5 million in revenue bonds and $5 million in appropriations bonds) to the Iowa Energy Center for this existing loan program, which provides zero-interest loans to individuals and organizations who want to build alternate energy production facilities and small hydro facilities in Iowa (see definitions below). Since 1996, approximately $10.5 million has been loaned in support to 70 commercial, schools, and independent power producer projects, primarily wind turbines and biomass-to-energy projects. Since inception, approximately $140 million in renewable energy production facilities has been constructed in Iowa with assistance from the AERLP zero-interest financing. Successful applicants receive a single loan that consists of a combination of AERLP and lender-provided funds. The AERLP provides 50% of the total loan, up to a maximum of $1 million. Requiring applicants to obtain at least half of the funds from a lender brings financial legitimacy to the program and distributes the risk. This money will also be available to municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives, but their loans will be limited to $500,000 per applicant and one loan every two years. The energy production facility must be located in Iowa. The loans are not available for refinancing existing loans. More Information - Contact
Broadband Deployment and Sustainability Project. $25 million in revenue bonds to a newly created governance board for broadband technology grants for the deployment and sustainability of high-speed broadband access. The Federal Recovery Act appropriated $7.2 billion and directed the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) to expand broadband access to unserved and underserved communities across the U.S., increase jobs, spur investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits. The result is the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). Currently, these funding sources are an 80% federal/20% state match. State and federal moneys will be used to promote universal access to high-speed broadband services for speeds to exceed federal requirements throughout the state to benefit Iowans and for the sustainability of such services. The 15 members of a governance board, the Iowa Broadband Deployment Governance Board, were selected in July jointly by the Iowa Utilities Board, the Economic Development Board, and the Iowa Telecommunications and Technology Commission. The board membership consists of representatives from cities, counties, residential users, educational users, broadband and telecommunications providers (cable, wireline, and wireless), state agencies, and four legislators as ex officio members. The Board began meeting in July and has developed administrative rules as well as posting an application and scoring mechanism for use by eligible applicants. The Board has also contracted with Connected Nation to map existing broadband services in Iowa. More Information - Contact
