State and local officials look to clean up cities

Senator Tom Harkin and others are lobbying to get special status for a piece of Des Moines industrial property. Des Moines is one of 32 cities which are finalists for an E-P-A “brownfield showcase” designation which would mean lots of federal financing for the clean-up project.Polk County Board of Supervisors chair Angela Connolly says the clean up of browfields is vital to cities.Federal Home Loan Bank officials yesterday pledged up to 26-million dollars for the project to convert the land into apartments, businesses and shops. The site is just south of downtown Des Moines with a perfect view of the city’s high-rise towers. Senator Harkin says he’ll know within a month whether the Des Moines clean-up project will get federal financing.