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Energy

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Iowa State University awarded $800,000 EPA grant for disaster impact resiliency

Iowa State University is one of five institutions to receive a collective $3.9 million in research grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study resiliency in communities and groups following environmental impacts of natural …
By BPC Staff | Sep 4, 2020
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D.M. council praises water trails, looks to protect promised neighborhood projects

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Members of the Des Moines City Council on Monday praised multimillion-dollar water trails projects downtown, but said the city must keep its promises to neighborhoods while looking for cash. Council members discussed an …
By BPC Staff | Sep 1, 2020
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Iowa crops suffer in most widespread drought since 2013

Reuters: Iowa, the biggest U.S. corn-producing state, is facing its most widespread drought since September 2013, state Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig said on Friday, compounding problems for farmers after a damaging windstorm. The drought threatens to …
By BPC Staff | Aug 31, 2020
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Alliant Energy grants $250,000 for low-income homeowners to fund electrical repairs

Alliant Energy and community partners have launched “Project ReConnect,” a program to fund electrical repairs that will allow power to be restored following the Aug. 10 derecho. As power restores to communities, Alliant reports many …
By BPC Staff | Aug 26, 2020
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Program to help small businesses avoid utility disconnection expanded

A program to help small businesses keep their utilities on is being expanded to help more businesses avoid having their gas or electric service disconnected. The Iowa Economic Development Authority announced Friday that eligibility requirements …
By BPC Staff | Aug 24, 2020
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Linn County residents can seek federal aid for derecho recovery

Cedar Rapids Gazette: Homeowners, renters and merchants in Linn County can apply now for federal disaster aid to help them recover from the Aug. 10 derecho. On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump partially approved the state’s …
By BPC Staff | Aug 21, 2020
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21,000 Alliant customers in Linn County still without power

Cedar Rapids Gazette: Over 21,000 Alliant Energy customers in Linn County were still without power heading into Wednesday night. Its website showed that 21,568 of Alliant’s 97,603 Linn County customers were without power as of 5 …
By BPC Staff | Aug 20, 2020
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Iowa Utilities Board provides resources following derecho

The Iowa Utilities Board is hosting an online summary of estimated power restoration timelines for Iowa residents who have not been able to reach their utility company for answers, the IUB said this week. Customers affected by …
By BPC Staff | Aug 20, 2020
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Cash flow, storage may challenge farmers in shadow of destructive storm

Above: A Heartland Cooperative grain bin in Cambridge sits crumpled after it was damaged in last week’s storm. Photo by Michael Crumb 

Below: Corn showing significant damage in rural Jasper County. Photo by Emily Blobaum

As farmers …
By MICHAEL CRUMB | Aug 20, 2020
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NOTEBOOK: After the derecho, the cavalry came riding in bucket trucks

Out and about in Ankeny last week I noticed a number of crews in Carolina Power trucks around town working on restoring my neighbors’ electricity. Seeing folks from that far away working on restoring our …
By JOE GARDYASZ | Aug 19, 2020
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