November Newsletter

November 18, 2024

The November, 2024 newsletter from the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club is now available.  In this issue, you will find:

Protecting the Environment

  • Major Rivers Put on Impaired Waters List - EPA is seeking public comments about its plan to put several Iowa rivers which are used for drinking water on the impaired waters list (the list is also called the 303(d) list) because they are polluted with nitrate and nitrite.  The rivers are the Cedar River, Des Moines River, Iowa River, Raccoon River, and South Skunk River.  See how you can comment. 

  • Book discussion on "Crossings - How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet" by Ben Goldfarb, December 3, 7pm.  Our road infrastructure has been the source of significant loss of wildlife across the country, resulting in deaths and disruption of their lives.  Roads have interrupted migration patterns.  They interfere with animals that want to move back and forth to nesting grounds.  Furthermore, people and their vehicles are at risk from collisions with wildlife attempting to cross roads.  The book also explores ways that the fragments of habitat can be reconnected.  Throughout the book Ben Goldfarb addresses the issue with humor and great insight.  We hope you can join in on the discussion.

CO2 Pipeline Update

  • Pipeline Update – Landowners across the Midwest are celebrating a huge victory in South Dakota where voters agreed to repeal a law that would have blocked county zoning ordinances from being passed to protect citizens from Summit’s carbon pipeline.

Climate Change

  • Demanding Better - Sierra Club Issues Guide for Grid Decarbonization During Unprecedented Demand From Data Centers & Emerging Industries - Many of the largest tech companies have climate goals and want clean energy, but the reality is their impact on the grid is stunting recent gains in the ongoing transition to clean energy.  The Sierra Club's report Demanding Better, is a guide for how to meet increasing demand for electricity while decreasing climate pollution. The report details opportunities for how leading tech companies can support a clean grid for everyone. 

  • Don’t Restart Duane Arnold - Recent news articles have reported on NexEra’s interest in restarting the Duane Arnold nuclear plant located in Palo, Iowa. We need to consider the consequences of such an action. Restarting a closed reactor in decommissioning status has never been attempted. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission admits that there are no regulations authorizing the restart of a closed reactor.  Nor is there any assurance that the operation could be done safely.

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