Sioux City, Iowa — An Iowa environmental group says state regulators should reject a proposal from MidAmerican Energy to release coal ash wastewater from a power plant near Sioux City.
The proposal affects the George Neal Energy Center where water that leaches through coal ash waste is collected in storage ponds. When the ponds are full, some wastewater would be released into the Missouri River. Steve Guyer, with the Iowa Environmental Council, says the utility should follow the new, stricter guidelines for wastewater containing hazardous pollutants.
Guyer says that wastewater carries chemicals and heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury.
In a statement, the utility says it follows all state and federal guidelines, and the proposal would only come into play in years with extremely heavy rain. The Iowa DNR must approve the plan.
