An Iowa environmental group says state regulators should push back on a proposal from MidAmerican Energy to release coal ash wastewater from a power plant near Sioux City.
The proposal affects the George Neal Energy Center https://www.nimeca.com/george-neal-unit-4 where water that leaches through coal ash waste https://www.epa.gov/coalash is collected in storage ponds. When the ponds are full, some wastewater would be released into the Missouri River.
Steve Guyer is with the Iowa Environmental Council https://www.iaenvironment.org, which has pressured MidAmerican to close its coal plants. He says the company should account for a new EPA proposal that sets stricter guidelines for wastewater containing pollutants like mercury and arsenic.
Has this previously been released to the river? Yes. But the difference is now the EPA has called out additional standards that need to be applied.
The utility says in a statement that it follows all state and federal guidelines, and the proposal would only come into play in years with extremely heavy rain. The Iowa DNR must approve the plan.
Some Iowans impacted by recent storms have resources available. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ emergency declarations opens up residents of Johnson, Linn, Washington, Delaware, Dubuque, Marion and Warren counties to the assistance.
45 days from the date proclamation, residents can apply for up to $5-thousand-dollars from the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program. The money is available for home and car repairs, replacement of clothing or food and even temporary housing expenses for those effected. Applicants incomes cannot exceed 200% of the federal poverty level.
The state also offers case management for disaster recovery that is not income-restricted.
