Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds created a 14-member nuclear energy task force in January by executive order. They finished their initial work this week and now its recommendations will go to the governor, state lawmakers, and state agencies. In her Jan. 5, 2026 press release, Reynolds said,

“With our strong foundation in manufacturing and energy innovation, we are uniquely positioned to lead the nation in developing and deploying nuclear technologies. The creation of the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force marks a strategic step forward, ensuring the safe, efficient, and responsible integration of nuclear energy into our energy portfolio.”

The task force includes Iowa leaders in the energy industry, academia, and state and local government. They reiterated the importance of community education on the topic, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, noting that residents and lawmakers often have misperceptions about nuclear energy. I find this statement problematic. Are they saying people can’t think for themselves?

I remember in 2013 when MidAmerican Energy bought options on 729 acres of prime Iowa farm land near Wilton, Iowa, in the middle of an established rural community, to build a power plant. The electric utility had three possibilities for the land should they exercise the options: build a nuclear powered generating station, build a natural gas powered generating station, or do nothing. A grassroots organization rose up and opposed this land use, advocating to let the options expire without building a power plant. It worked.

While current Republican governance can demonize groups that advocate for liberal causes, the group of rural residents in 2013 emphasized that they were not affiliated with any so-called “green” groups. By remaining strictly grassroots, with members of the community effected by MidAmerican Energy’s plans for rural Wilton being the primary stake holders in the group’s activity, they had an independent and unique voice that dovetailed with other concerns of rural Iowa.

It sounds like the governor’s current task force is designed to mitigate the effectiveness of grassroots organizations like this who oppose nuclear power in Iowa. Reflective of our times, this is highly political. There is no good reason to jump on the state’s nuclear bandwagon.

We need safe, cost-effective power production, not official doctrine promulgated by a politically-appointed committee. This is especially true in an environment where the federal government has well-defined standards for environmental impact for nuclear power plants. These standards require constant revision based on what operational experience teaches us. The governor may believe the committee will clear the air to make way for more nuclear power in Iowa, yet there are other considerations, including information in emerging research.

Recent comprehensive studies by Harvard University’s T.H. Chang School of Public Health showed a higher rate of various kinds of cancers in persons living near nuclear power plants.

Here in Iowa, Joseph Mangano testified on behalf of Beyond Nuclear, to the Iowa Utilities Commission that his work indicated there was an increase in the incidence of cancer after the Duane Arnold Energy Center began generation of nuclear power in 1975 compared to the previous six years of data. When the facility began decommissioning after being damaged by the August 10, 2020 derecho, there were significant localized decreases in infant deaths, premature births, and low-weight births, Mangano said.

What are the conditions under which the state should increase risks of cancer by recommissioning Duane Arnold Energy Center or building new nuclear power plants? These concerns should be addressed, and not by the governor’s committee.

At present, pro-nuclear power advocates dominate the news media. However, environmental groups, including those concerned with public health risk related to electricity generation are watching and will have their say.

If Iowa is a net exporter of electricity, why the push for new nuclear reactors? This is not about logic. Follow the money.