Iowa Environmental Council

The Iowa Environmental Council (IEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the largest environmental coalition in Iowa. For over 25 years, it has been leading initiatives to protect and preserve Iowa's environment, focusing on critical issues such as water quality, land stewardship, climate change, renewable energy, and environmental justice.

Mission and Core Values

The IEC's mission is to ensure a just, healthy environment and sustainable future for all Iowans. It envisions Iowa as a leader in addressing climate change and creating resilient communities, embodying shared values of respect for all people and the environment. The organization is nonpartisan, emphasizing collaboration and dialogue to achieve its goals.

The IEC holds several core values:

• Relationships: Building strong relationships within its team and coalition.
• Informed Work: Using science, data, and stories to guide their efforts.
• Integrity: Respected for integrity and resourcefulness.
• Collaboration: Sometimes leading, other times learning and following.
• Inclusivity: Emphasizing inclusivity across all activities.
• Nonpartisanship: Maintaining a nonpartisan stance to facilitate broad support.

Work and Initiatives

Early Focus

At its founding, the IEC primarily focused on water quality and land stewardship. In 2005, it expanded its efforts to promote a clean energy future in Iowa, recognizing that these issues are interconnected and essential to Iowa's environmental well-being.

Climate Change and Environmental Justice

Today, the IEC places climate change at the center of its work, striving to make Iowa a carbon-neutral state. It advocates for measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change, which can create new economic markets, enhance community resilience, reduce pollution, protect public health, and improve habitats.

The IEC also emphasizes environmental justice, acknowledging that climate change impacts are not equally felt by all Iowans. It seeks to address systemic inequalities and ensure equitable access to clean energy, water, and outdoor spaces.

Water Quality

The IEC has been particularly vocal about addressing water pollution issues in Iowa, notably nitrate pollution from agricultural runoff. It advocates for more effective regulations to reduce fertilizer pollution, as outlined in publications like "The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy: Ten Years and No Progress."

Impact and Recognition

The IEC has established itself as a respected voice in environmental policy, working at federal, state, and local levels. It supports large-scale change through education, advocacy, and coalition-building, engaging diverse stakeholders to create solutions that resonate statewide.

[1] https://www.southeastiowaunion.com/news/a-look-into-the-iowa-environmental-council/ [2] https://www.iaenvironment.org/about-us/who-we-are/ [3] https://www.iaenvironment.org/our-work/ [4] https://www.iaenvironment.org/news-resources/publications/water-and-land-publications [5] https://www.iaenvironment.org/newsroom/2023