Blog – Iowa Environmental Voice

posted by Michael Schmidt on Friday, October 11, 2019 The Iowa Utilities Board just wrapped up a three-day hearing on the proposed changes to electric rates for Alliant Energy's Iowa affiliate, Interstate Power & Light. Alliant filed a request in March to increase its rates by $203.6 million per year. Because the regulatory process can be difficult to track, we're providing a look into what happened.

posted on Friday, October 4, 2019 A recent analysis by the Iowa Environmental Council showed that implementation rates of voluntary conservation practices set forth in the 2013 Nutrient Reduction Strategy are slowing. Under current time modeling, the IEC analysis shows it would take hundreds of years or more before we achieve the necessary goals. It is time for all farmland owners to do more and do it quickly.

posted by Angelisa Belden on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 Submitting op-eds or LTEs is an effective tool for addressing climate, water, and energy issues. Learn some simple tips to help you prepare and submit a piece for publication.

posted by Alicia Vasto on Friday, September 6, 2019 It's time to put our money where our mouths – and our boats, fishing poles, and splash pads – are. Mandatory conservation practices to reduce pollution at the source, adequate funding for water quality monitoring and enforcement by the DNR, and significant progress with the Nutrient Reduction Strategy are just a few of the measures we are calling for to clean up and preserve Iowa's waters

posted by Alicia Vasto on Friday, August 30, 2019 Any conversation about water quality in Iowa inevitably boils down to the fact that the largest industry in Iowa – agriculture – is not subject to most water quality regulations. Why is that? What is unique about the agriculture industry?

posted by Ingrid Gronstal Anderson on Wednesday, August 14, 2019 As a water quality professional, I know all too well the risks that harmful algae blooms carry for those of us just trying to cool off and enjoy ourselves at the lake. For our pets and our children, those risks can be particularly high.

posted by Nathaniel Baer on Thursday, August 8, 2019 The Iowa Environmental Council and Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) filed testimony from five expert witnesses last week identifying a wide range of significant concerns with Alliant's proposal. One of our biggest findings: coal no longer makes economic sense in Iowa.

posted by Ingrid Gronstal Anderson on Thursday, May 16, 2019 The influence of agricultural practices on drinking water quality continues to be of paramount concern for Iowa's environmental and public health. Over the last few years, much has been made of the urban/rural divide and industrial/municipal versus agricultural contributions to nutrient loading in our waterways.

posted by Jordan Oster on Thursday, May 2, 2019 As part of its emissions reduction goal, Des Moines could soon join a growing number of major U.S. cities to develop a ‘benchmarking' ordinance. Under the Building Performance Policy, the city's largest buildings would track and annually report data about their energy and water consumption.

posted by Jennifer Terry on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 Several weeks ago, our community learned of the terminal diagnosis of Bill Stowe, the CEO of Des Moines Water Works and a fearless champion of water quality issues. I had the privilege of working alongside Bill at Des Moines Water Works for a couple of years, as the lawsuit against northern Iowa drainage districts rolled through the legal system. I learned that the water quality policy space in Iowa is no place for the faint of heart.