Nearly $100,000 in public and private dollars are being spent on lobbying and "sponsored research" in an effort to convince the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to designate Scott, Rock Island and Muscatine counties as "non-attainment" for fine particulate pollution.

The taxpayer money from the cities of Bettendorf, Davenport and Muscatine, Scott County and the Iowa Department of Economic Development is being used to help fund a study by noted University of Iowa researchers on "Understanding Iowa's Particulate Matter Episodes." The private funders of the $40,000 study include Alcoa, Blackhawk Foundry, Grain Processing Corporation, Muscatine Power and Water and IPSCO Steel.

Another $51,000 is being paid by the Quad City Development Group, the local advocacy organization for industry, to The Clark Group, a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm which specializes in air quality issues. The funds are being used for "strategic outreach" to federal agencies and for advice on environmental and legislative policies.

The firm has experience working with communities seeking to avoid "non-attainment" designations by EPA. In 2005, the firm was hired by the Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition which sought unsuccessfully to avoid the "non-attainment" designation for ground-level ozone emissions.

The lobbying efforts are aimed at getting the EPA to narrow the area it designates as non-attainment for Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns (PM 2.5). The industry lobbying group would like only those areas closest to the air monitors exceeding PM 2.5 standards to be classified "non-attainment."

The Bi-State Planning Commission's participation in the recent foray to lobby U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials to reduce the local "non-attainment" area for fine particulate pollution clearly exceeded the organization's mission and purpose.

Bi-State's mission is "to serve as a forum for intergovernmental cooperation and delivery of regional programs and to assist member local governments in planning and project development." On its web site, the organization goes further to say it is NOT "another layer or higher authority of government. . ."

Grain Processing Corporation (GPC) in Muscatine and Blackhawk Foundry in Davenport have promised to invest in facility upgrades to reduce fine particulate emissions in hopes of avoiding a "non-attainment" label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for all of Muscatine, Scott and Rock Island counties.

The pledge to clean up their emission of PM 2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers) came in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) most recent submission (10/20) to the Region VII Office of the EPA in Kansas City.

The day after losing his city council seat in Bettendorf's special First Ward aldermanic election, Norm Voelliger filed papers with the state: creating a campaign committee, disclosing $1,700 in election expenses and dissolving the campaign committee.

Candidates for city, school, county and state elections must form a campaign committee within 10 days of incurring or expending more than $750, list the campaign committee name on all campaign materials, and file reports listing all donations and expenditures of the campaign committee.

The papers filed with the state list the committee name as "Voelliger for Council." Mailers sent First Ward residents stated they were paid for by "Norm Voelliger." One of the mailers was an endorsement letter signed by Mayor Mike Freemire and five other aldermen.

Admissions at the Bettendorf Isle of Capri casino in fiscal 2008 were virtually the same as 12 years ago despite the opening of two hotels next to the riverboat aimed at boosting the number of gamblers.

For the 2008 fiscal year ended June 30, the Isle reported 1,451,452 admissions, nearly identical to the admissions in fiscal 1996 of 1,443,113 when it operated as the Lady Luck casino.

Last year's admissions also were off 28 percent from fiscal 2000, the boat's peak admission year when 2,018,936 gamblers came through its doors.

The Isle's first hotel was completed in August of 1998, while its second hotel opened in July of 2007.

At the Isle's sister boat, the Rhythm City Casino in Davenport, the decline has been even more severe, dropping nearly 47 percent from 1,775,317 admissions in fiscal 1996 when it operated as "The President" to 947,373 for fiscal 2008.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to designate Scott and Rock Island Counties as "non-attainment" areas for fine particulate pollution.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Governor's Office have sent letters to the EPA saying the state is working with industries to lower such pollutants and asking for designation of a much smaller area near the air monitoring stations as "non-attainment."

The Bettendorf High School Homecoming festivities kicked off Thursday (10/2) with the traditional parade along Spruce Hills and 18th Street, followed by a pep rally at the high school stadium. The Bulldogs, 3-0 on the season with wins over Pleasant Valley, Burlington and North Scott, face winless Davenport West in Friday's homecoming contest.


School board members Scott Tinsman, left, Barry Anderson, Jeannine Crockett and Betsy Justis toss candy to onlookers along the parade route.

6th Street, looking south to State Street and Mississippi River.

6th Street, looking north from Holmes Street.

Dean Mayne was sworn in as the new First Ward alderman Monday night by District Court Judge Paul Macek. Mayne defeated Norm Voelliger in the Sept. 2 special election. The vacancy on the council was created when Keith Kauten, elected in November 2007, resigned from his seat.

The very low voter turnout for Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley and Eastern Iowa Community College school board elections Tuesday (Sept. 9) should be of concern to school administrators, sitting school board members and residents.

In one Pleasant Valley district with 1,590 voters, only four votes were cast for the sole candidate. No school board district election drew more than 1 percent of the voters to cast ballots.