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Former EPA Former EPA officials say Trump proposal will gut agency’s power to curb emissions

on Sun, 07/27/2025 - 05:52   by Anonymous

by Allison Prang, Iowa Capital Dispatch
July 26, 2025

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has submitted a proposal to scrap a years-old finding that greenhouse gas emissions threaten the environment and public health, a move that former agency officials say would gut the EPA’s authority to reduce emissions and is sure to end up in the courts.

The EPA sent a draft proposal to the White House late last month calling for scrapping what’s referred to as the endangerment finding on top of vehicle emissions standards for certain cars and trucks. The White House Office of Management and Budget could finish reviewing the draft on Monday and some expect an announcement on the issue the last week of July, Joe Goffman, a former assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, said in an interview.

Iowa's largest ethanol producer POET, LLC agrees to $53,000 in fines for air emission violations

on Sat, 07/13/2024 - 02:08   by news

Iowa's largest ethanol producer – POET, LLC – has agreed to fines totaling $53,000 for hazardous air emissions from its Shell Rock refinery over a two-year period.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) imposed a $10,000 fine – the most the department is allowed to levy without submitting the case to the Iowa Attorney General's office – and assessed a $43,000 fee – or $70 per ton for the more than 600 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) the plant released during 2021 and 2022.

Grain Processing to pay $50 million to compensate Muscatine residents harmed by plant's air pollution

on Wed, 10/24/2018 - 19:37   by news

Grain Processing Corporation (GPC) has been ordered to pay $50 million in damages to settle a class action lawsuit over air pollution from its Muscatine corn-milling plant that harmed thousands of nearby residents.

Iowa District Court Judge John Telleen gave preliminary approval of the settlement Monday (October 22), concluding six years of litigation over air pollution from the GPC facility.

Only six exceedances of ambient air standards recorded in 2016; none recorded in Muscatine

on Fri, 03/03/2017 - 00:57   by Editor

Only six exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) were recorded in Iowa during 2016 with none in Muscatine – long the state's hot spot for air pollution.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resource's Air Quality Bureau reported four exceedances of ozone standards and two exceedances of PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns) standards for last year.

QC area first in Iowa to exceed new ozone pollution standard; Scott County Park records exceedance

on Wed, 06/15/2016 - 20:43   by Editor

The Iowa Quad Cities achieved the dubious distinction earlier this week as the first metro area in Iowa to exceed the new, tougher health standard for ozone pollution.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) reported Tuesday (6/14) the air monitor at Scott County Park, north of Davenport, recorded an 8-hour average for ground-level ozone (O3) of 71 parts per billion (ppb) Monday, June 13. The ambient air quality standard for ozone was lowered to 70 ppb from 75 ppm last December.

Report: sulfur dioxide most common air pollutant; Muscatine records highest number of exceedances

on Wed, 06/03/2015 - 02:23   by Editor

The majority of air pollution exceedances recorded in Iowa over the past five years occurred in Muscatine, with sulfur dioxide pollution the primary issue there and statewide.

Iowa greenhouse gas emissions declined in 2013; reflects lower production from coal power plants

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 22:04   by Editor
Greenhouse gas emissions in Iowa declined in 2013, thanks primarily to a decline in electric power plant production and greater use of wind power, according to a recently released report by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
 

Exceedances of air quality standards in Iowa up in 2014; majority at Muscatine monitors

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 01:35   by Editor

Iowa air monitors recorded 91 exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality Standards during 2014, with the vast majority (71) occurring at three locations in Muscatine.

Of the 76 exceedances of sulfur dioxide standards in the state, 66 were recorded in Muscatine at the Musser Park, Greenwood Cemetery and Muscatine High School air monitoring stations. Of the 15 exceedances of fine particulate matter (less than 2.5 microns) statewide, five occurred at Muscatine monitors.

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