DES MOINES, Iowa – (March 21, 2022) – MidAmerican Energy is helping dozens of Iowa communities lower energy costs at local public facilities and spaces through grants that encourage the strategic planting of trees.

This year, MidAmerican awarded 55 cities grants totaling more than $100,000 through the company's "Trees Please!" program. The program promotes energy efficiency by helping fund trees that provide windbreaks and shade to common areas such as publicly owned properties, schools and community spaces. The windbreaks and shade can help save on energy costs while also beautifying those areas.

 

"People often think that saving energy inside a building stops with insulating," Erin Rasmussen, MidAmerican director of energy efficiency, said. "But outside the building, strategically choosing and locating trees can also help cut energy costs. Certain types of trees and shrubs can help block frigid winds in the winter, while other trees can help provide shade to keep those buildings cooler in the summer."

 

Since 1998, MidAmerican has awarded more than $4.4 million in funding for trees.

 

City of Allison	$1,000
City of Altoona	$1,000
City of Bettendorf	$2,000
City of Blue Grass	$1,000
City of Bondurant	$4,000
City of Cedar Rapids	$5,000
City of Clarinda	$1,000
City of Clarion	$2,000
City of Clarksville	$2,000
City of Colfax	$2,500
City of Council Bluffs	$5,000
City of Dallas Center	$1,000
City of Davenport	$2,500
City of Denver	$5,000
City of Des Moines	$5,000
City of Eldridge	$3,000
City of Emerson	$1,000
City of Essex	$1,000
City of Fort Dodge	$1,000
City of Gilbertville	$1,000
City of Glenwood	$1,000
City of Grimes	$1,000
City of Hiawatha	$5,000
City of Humboldt	$1,000
City of Indianola	$1,000
City of Iowa City	$5,000
City of Johnston	$2,000
City of Leighton	$1,000
City of Manson	$1,000
City of Marion	$3,000
City of Merrill	$1,000
City of Missouri Valley	$1,000
City of Moville	$1,000
City of North Liberty	$1,000
City of Oskaloosa	$1,000
City of Polk City	$2,000
City of Pomeroy	$1,000
City of Portsmouth	$1,000
City of Prairie City	$1,500
City of Red Oak	$1,000
City of Riverdale	$1,000
City of Rock Valley	$2,000
City of Ruthven	$1,000
City of Sergeant Bluff	$1,000
City of Shelby	$1,000
City of Sheldon	$1,000
City of Sioux City	$5,000
City of Sutherland	$1,000
City of Urbandale	$2,700
City of Waterloo	$5,000
City of Waukee	$1,000
City of Waverly	$2,000
City of West Point	$1,000
City of Wilton	$1,000
City of Windsor Heights	$1,000

 

 

In the fall, cities and community organizations can submit grant applications to MidAmerican to be considered for grants of $1,000 or more. The company selects grant recipients based on a project’s merits, benefits to the community and the ability to obtain matching funds.

 

For more information, go to MidAmerican’s “Trees Please!” page, email planttrees@midamerican.com, or call 800-434-4017.

 

MidAmerican Energy, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, serves 804,000 electric customers in Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and 781,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Information about MidAmerican is available at MidAmericanEnergy.com and company social media channels.