Iowa's Dirty Secret
The environmental documentary Iowa’s Dirty Secret: The True Cost of Burning Coal—already a decorated presence on the festival circuit—is now available for streaming to the public at iowasdirtysecret.com.
The film, produced by the Clean Up MidAm Coalition, has quickly emerged as one of Iowa’s most talked-about documentaries of the year. It claimed the Audience Choice Award at the Sioux City International Film Festival and earned three Bronze Telly Awards, joining a slate of winners that included projects from the Smithsonian and the BBC.
A Grassroots Story With Unexpected Momentum
Director Trevor Tejeda-Gervais says the powerful response took the filmmaking team by surprise.
“The response to Iowa’s Dirty Secret has been beyond anything we imagined,” Tejeda-Gervais said. “Our goal was simply to expose the harm caused by MidAmerican Energy’s coal plants, but the outpouring of support — from sold-out theaters to award recognition — has been incredible.”
The documentary premiered in the spring at Des Moines’ historic Varsity Cinema before touring festivals across the state, from the Sioux City International Film Festival to the Iowa Independent Film Festival. It recently screened as part of a FilmScene Community Collaboration in Iowa City, accompanied by a growing list of community-led showings both in-person and online.
Inside the Film: Families, Physicians, and Frontline Advocates
Running under an hour, Iowa’s Dirty Secret blends intimate interviews and on-the-ground reporting to examine the toll of MidAmerican Energy’s five Iowa coal plants. Families living near the facilities share personal stories of health struggles; doctors discuss what they’ve seen in their clinics; and local advocates outline the barriers to cleaner energy in a state still heavily tied to coal.
One of those voices, Emma Colman of the Sierra Club, calls the film a catalyst for local action.
“The release of Iowa’s Dirty Secret has been a turning point in our work to hold MidAmerican Energy accountable,” Colman said. “Iowans are taking action — hosting screenings, talking with neighbors, and getting involved with the Clean Up MidAm Coalition to demand a cleaner, healthier future.”
The film lands amid heightened scrutiny of MidAmerican’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, whose coal fleet was identified by a Reuters analysis as the dirtiest in the nation.
A Community Coalition Behind the Camera
Backing the project is the Clean Up MidAm Coalition, a partnership of Iowa-based environmental and community organizations including the Iowa Environmental Council, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Sierra Club, Great Plains Action Society, Clean Energy Districts of Iowa, Iowa Faith & Climate Network, Moms Clean Air Force, and many individual Iowans advocating for cleaner air and water.
Viewers can stream the full documentary, access behind-the-scenes materials, and learn more about ongoing advocacy efforts at iowasdirtysecret.com. Additional information about statewide organizing is available at CleanUpMidAm.com.
