Welcome to the Iowa Chapter blog!
Blogger - Pam Mackey Taylor
IS MIDAMERICAN MAKING THE GRADE?
September 25, 2020
MidAmerican is often lifted up in the press as a model utility for its clean energy investments. But as more utilities commit to emissions goals and a transition from coal plants to clean energy, we questioned if MidAmerican is actually making the...
Soon CAFOs will be emptying their manure pits
September 15, 2020
Soon confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) will be emptying their manure holding pits. The stench and pollution can be detected for several miles from the CAFO and fields where the manure is spread. Children face a special risk to air...
The Coal Truth Report: MidAm is Burning Your Money on Burning Coal
August 12, 2020
The Sierra Club has done an extensive analysis and found that MidAmerican Energy’s George Neal North and South coal plants near Sioux City have lost $27.5 million for its customers over the last five years. Low energy prices in 2020 have only...
Pregnant? Bottle feeding? Drinking well water? Have your well water tested for nitrates.
August 8, 2020
Pregnant women and infants are highly susceptible to nitrates in well water. If you live near farm fields where anhydrous ammonia is spread, a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), or the fields where CAFO manure is spread, you should be...
Muscatine Deserves a Voice
August 6, 2020
The potential retirement of the MPW coal plant marks a significant turning point for Muscatine. In June, Muscatine Power and Water publicly shared study results recommending the retirement of the 270 MW municipal coal plant in Muscatine. The study...
Soil: Grounding Us in Transformative Systemic Change
July 21, 2020
The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club released its report “Soil: Grounding Us in Transformative Systemic Change”. Patti Naylor, Agriculture Committee Chair, pointed out, “To address the multiple crises that our biosphere faces, we need to advocate...
Sierra Club praises DNR for stricter guidelines for microcystin
June 6, 2020
The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club is praising the Department of Natural Resources in using the stricter federal guidelines for issuing advisories warning swimmers when microcystin toxins have reached levels that are harmful to human health. In...
Small-scale slaughterhouses needed for sustainably raised meats
June 2, 2020
One of the greatest impediments for farmers who want to raise meat animals on a small-scale is access to slaughterhouses and markets for their meat products.
Utility disconnections
April 24, 2020
When people fall behind on their electric, natural gas, and water bills, the utility company can disconnect the service. There are some regulations that affect the disconnection. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that Iowa’s laws regarding utility...
HOW MUCH OF IOWA’S WIND POWER STAYS IN IOWA?
March 26, 2020
Flash back to ten years ago, when Iowa was leading the country by investing in wind power - amazing natural wind resources, decreasing renewable energy technology costs, expanding transmission capacity and a combination of state and federal policies...