MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company

MidAmerican is committed to reducing its impact on the world's clean air. Strict compliance with all air-related regulations is a minimum requirement, and we strive to further minimize the impact we have on air quality. With our primary focus on reducing or avoiding emissions altogether from our natural gas pipeline delivery or our electricity generation, transmission and distribution operations, we continuously develop and implement strategies to improve our emissions performance.

MidAmerican's subsidiaries manage and plan changes to their generation portfolios in response to local, state and national regulatory requirements, striking a balance between local air quality concerns and keeping electricity rates low for customers.

Greenhouse Gases
Scientists generally believe that fossil-fuel combustion and other human activities are the primary reason for an increased carbon dioxide concentration in the earth’s atmosphere. Increased agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production and mining also contribute a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions. Visit the U.S. Global Change Research Program for more information on the causes and consequences of climate change.

Though difficult to estimate future emissions and their environmental impacts, MidAmerican companies are taking early action by:

		Pursuing fossil-fueled generation heat-rate improvement projects, and investing in renewable generation.
		Investing in new electricity transmission and distribution equipment to both improve reliability and reduce the needless loss of kilowatts.
		Working relentlessly to avoid fugitive releases of methane from our interstate pipeline and residential gas distribution operations.
		Working to reduce fugitive emissions of sulfur hexafluoride from our electricity transmission and distribution operations.
		Administering programs that improve the rate at which our customers consume energy. This includes offering energy efficiency incentives, and residential and commercial energy audits.

MidAmerican also has been active in public-private efforts to improve greenhouse gas accounting and reporting protocols and undertake voluntary initiatives.