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Energy

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Water Works finds algae toxin in tap water, but it’s safe to drink

Des Moines Water Works has detected microcystin, a dangerous toxin from blue-green algae, in Des Moines tap water, but within federal limits. The toxin can damage people’s livers, gastrointestinal system and nervous system, and often …

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NOTEBOOK: Tollakson paddles Beaver Creek in effort to raise $300K for river project work

Hubbell Realty chief Rick Tollakson went on a kayak trip down Beaver Creek with fellow novice Paula Dierenfeld, mayor of Johnston. Besides polishing his limited kayaking skills, Tollakson wanted to talk to Dierenfeld about a…
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Funding OK’d for Waterloo white-water course design

Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier: A controversial downtown white-water course remained afloat as city leaders authorized additional design work. Waterloo City Council members voted 5-1 Monday to approve more engineering related to the proposed course along the east …

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Survey: Cover crops boost yields

Many of you don’t farm, but you should care about this item anyway. That’s because the way farmers control runoff pollution affects what we pay to treat drinking water, whether the beach swimming areas are …

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Branstad proposes water compromise; Sen. Johnson says he’s all wet

Gov. Terry Branstad’s latest revenue-neutral proposal to free money for water quality work in Iowa is either a misguided slap in voters’ faces or a great idea, depending on who is giving an opinion.


State…
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Branstad offers water quality compromise

Quad-City Times: Gov. Terry Branstad is floating a compromise he hopes will generate state money to address water-quality concerns while balancing future needs for school infrastructure and other conservation, resource protection and recreational purposes. Branstad said …

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Alliant to add $1 billion in wind energy

Alliant Energy’s plan to add up to 500 megawatts of wind energy is a large play that will help keep Iowa’s electricity rates low, a key authority on clean energy said.


“Wind energy is now the…
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Bakken pipeline clears final regulatory hurdle in Iowa

Des Moines Register: Plans for the Bakken oil pipeline in Iowa cleared a final regulatory hurdle Tuesday when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concluded that proposed crossings of Iowa waterways will comply with federal environmental …

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Iowa is really wet, and dry

Iowa got about twice the usual rain in the past two weeks, but a third of the state is abnormally dry. The latest state report does not include the heavy rains on July 19. A small part of…
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Settlement of MidAmerican’s Wind XI project sets rate of return at 11 percent

Environmental groups this week hailed a proposed rate agreement among several groups representing consumers, large users and business and MidAmerican Energy that sets many of the details of the $3.6 billion, 2,000-megawatt Wind XI project.…