May 24--CEDAR FALLS -- Gov. Chet Culver on Wednesday marked his signing the Iowa Power Fund appropriations bill into law in separate media events at the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University.

Culver made renewable energy a top priority during his campaign, and has repeatedly said he intends to make Iowa the renewable energy capital of the world with the initiative. Speaking at Ames, Culver invoked the legacies of some famous Iowans -- including environmentalist Aldo Leopold and agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug -- to underscore the state's ongoing attempt to harness and preserve its natural resources. "This will begin the process of making our entire state a laboratory so we can remain on the cutting edge of renewable energy," he said. Culver signed the bille establishing the Power Fund in a food science lab at Iowa State University, with the governor and state dignitaries standing on a smooth concrete floor in front of stainless steel equipment.

He signed another bill approprating mo ey for it later in the day at UNI. The fund will allocate $100 million over four years, beginning this year, towards renewable energy research and development, especially for projects with a commercial application that help create a new bioeconomy. "The $100 million Iowa Power Fund will allow the state of Iowa for the first time to invest in and attract cutting edge research and development related to renewable energy," Culver said. The bill also established the Office of Energy Independence to administer the program, and an 18-member Iowa Power Fund Board to distribute the money.

"When you look at the crisis we're facing in energy around our country, this Power Fund bill is something the people of Iowa dearly want," said Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, at ISU. Dotzler, co-chairman of the committee that oversees economic development spending, said Wednesday that the $100 million is just the beginning of the state's investment. "It's something we're going to build off of," he said. While Culver and others touted the fund, opponents of a proposed Waterloo power plant, Community Energy Solutions, issued a press release asking Culver to follow through on some environmental campaign pledges and order state officials to delay permittin two new power plants in Waterloo and Marshalltown.

"I hope the governor meant what he said about global warming," said Renata Sack, a Waterloo resident. "We look to him to lead this state on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and an end to these filthy coal plants." The Waterloo City Council has approved annexation and rezoning for the northeast Waterloo plant, proposed by LS Power. The Culver administration hopes growth in the renewable energy industry will spark growth in small and large businesses, and create jobs in both rural and urban Iowa. Republican critics have charged funding of the project actually comes from the $1 cigarette tax hike, and that it will duplicate efforts already underway by private energy companies, which already invest in renewable energy.

Lt. Governor Patty Judge said Iowa is the nation's leader renewable energy production. The state is first in ethanol and biodiesel, and third in wind energy. Dan Gearino of the Courier Des Moines bureau contributed to this report. Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.