From the category archives:

Environment & Conservation

Ice jams caused some concern as they moved downstream along the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids. The Ellis Boat Harbor in northwest Cedar Rapids was a main attraction Wednesday as dozens of people watched water and ice slam up against non-moving chunks of ice.

Roxanne Repstien who grew up along the harbor and now lives nearby was surprised to see the ice backing up through the harbor. “I’ve never seen it come through and jam up in the harbor like this before and I’ve come and watch the ice go since I was a little girl,” Repstein said.

The ice jam continues to move downstream and some roads, the boat ramps, and a park are closed, but Craig Hanson with the Public Works Department says it’s not unusual for those places to flood. He says rain could help further break-up the ice. Hanson cautions people to not go near the water and to follow detours. He says it’s too tough to tell how the ice jam will continue to affect the area because it’s unpredictable.

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Alliant Energy files for electric rate increase

by Dar Danielson 03/11/10 4:13 AM

Alliant Energy filed a request with the Iowa Utilities Board Wednesday asking for an electric rate increase that would generate $163-million annually for the company. Spokesman Ryan Stensland says the request would put temporary increase into effect later this month for the company’s approximately 480,000 customers in Iowa.
He says the interim increase would be around [...]

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EPC to change rule on tv, computer monitor recycling

by Dar Danielson 03/8/10 8:52 AM

The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission will act on a new rule later this month that is designed to make it easier for televisions and computer monitors to be recycled. Theresa Stiner of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says it changes the requirement for retailers to collect the old TV’s and monitors that contain cathode [...]

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DNR delays water quality standards for nutrients in lakes

by Dar Danielson 03/5/10 11:40 AM

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is pulling back on proposed new water quality standards for nutrients in lakes used for fishing and boating and other recreational activities. The D.N.R. says 85 to 90-percent of the nutrients come from water runoff into the lakes and they can harm the quality of the water.
D.N.R. spokesman Jerah [...]

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DNR issues air warning for east-central Iowa

by Dar Danielson 03/4/10 4:06 PM

The Department of Natural Resources says air monitors in east-central Iowa recorded pollution today above the minimum level set by the E.P.A. The D.N.R.’s Eddie Elkin says the minimum is 35-micrograms. He says the level was 50 in Iowa City and Muscatine, with an average of 45 in Cedar Rapids and 49 in Waterloo.
The number [...]

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Wind project announced for Hamilton County

by Radio Iowa Contributor 03/4/10 4:01 PM

Another wind power project is being announced for north-central Iowa. California-based EnXco plans to build a wind farm in southwest Hamilton County and will open an office in Stratford next week. EnXco spokeswoman Melissa Peterson says the landscape in the area will change in the next few years.
It’ll be around 200-megawatts in size or about [...]

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DNR says ice fishing season has been a good one

by O. Kay Henderson 03/3/10 3:31 PM
Ice fishing

A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says ice fishing has been “gang-busters” in Iowa this winter. Mick Klemesrud says this has been “one of the best” ice fishing seasons Iowa has had in a while.
“As soon as the temperatures dropped we got good ice onset. People were out in big numbers and [...]

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