Greens Release Environmental Report Card for Black Hawk County

WATERLOO --- The Black Hawk County Green Party gives the county about a C+ average in its fifth annual Environmental Report Card for Black Hawk County.

The report card details the state of the environment in the county breaking down concerns into four main areas: air quality, water quality, energy conservation and recycling.

The grades range from a B+ for energy and conservation to an F for water quality, for a cumulative grade point average of 2.32.

Here are the grades for Black Hawk County:

Air Quality: B (same as last year) In Black Hawk County, leaf burning bans in Waterloo and Cedar Falls have done much to preserve local air quality, the group concluded. However, with increasing development and rising costs for natural gas, local utilities are burning more coal (often in aging power plants) adding more harmful toxins to our air.

"While Cedar Falls Utilities has recently, and rightfully, been recognized for (its) commitment to wind energy, it has been disappointing to see that they have been burning coal in the not-fully-updated Streeter Station plant not just for local energy use but simply to sell on the open market," the group said.

Water Quality: F (down from D- last year) The issue here is not that there is no work being done on water quality but that surface water conditions in Black Hawk County are getting worse. The group said Iowa has some of the nation's weakest water quality standards in the nation and ranks 49th among states in per capita spending on water quality.

Locally, this year both Dry Run Creek and Black Hawk Creek (the latter is a new addition) are on the state's list of impaired waterways. Within Black Hawk County, the Cedar River is not considered safe for recreational use. Citizens in the North Cedar section of Cedar Falls face high nitrates levels in drinking water that, in some cases, are triple the acceptable level, the group said.

Energy & Conservation: B+ (same as last year) "We continue to rely heavily upon coal as our primary source of energy. In a given year, Iowa power plants give off 75,000 tons of nitrogen oxide, 125,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 39 million tons of global warming pollution, the group said. Ninety percent of this coal comes from out of state. That said, local utilities have played a role in this shift of focus, the group said.

Cedar Falls Utilities gets about 5 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as wind power and has experimented with biomass, burning corn pellets in stacks that usually burn coal. MidAmerican Energy has invested in the world's largest wind farm in northwest Iowa, with hopes of 200 turbines generating enough electricity to power 85,000 homes.

Recycling: B (same as last year). Locally, the Cedar Valley Bottle Bill Coalition was formed. A range of local organizations have now joined together to support and improve can and bottle redemption efforts in Black Hawk County.

The group called for extra attention to the growth in the area. This is what the group had to say:

"Many of the issues addressed above can either be improved or made worse by local development policies. Developmental sprawl, excessive use of pavement and longer commutes all add to environmental degradation. It is better for the environment and for our quality of life when smart growth encourages in-fill development, walker- and bicycle-friendly designs and land conservation.

"Cedar Falls has a well-considered growth plan, but a recent decision to annex 80 acres of prime farm land on the western edge of Cedar Falls is an example of a decision moving the city in the wrong direction. A larger, mixed-use development along Greenhill Road has been better considered, but even here there is a risk of endangering existing residential and commercial areas if the development is not handled thoughtfully. Recent efforts to ensure higher quality home construction in East Waterloo are also an important step to take to protect mature neighborhoods from bearing the brunt of newer development."

[Reprinted from the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier April 22, 2005]