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Trump EPA rescinds Biden-era decision to expand Iowa’s impaired water list 

on Thu, 08/14/2025 - 02:10   by Anonymous

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
August 12, 2025

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rescinded its previous decision to add seven segments to Iowa’s list of impaired waters due to their high nitrate concentrations. 

In November the agency decided the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ list of impaired waters only “partially” met the requirements of the Clean Water Act to identify waterways with identified pollutants in excess of water quality standards. 

State won’t release inspection records for home health agency

on Tue, 08/12/2025 - 18:17   by Clark Kauffman

Iowa Capital Dispatch
August 11, 2025

A state agency that denied having inspection records for a Cedar Rapids home health agency now admits it has the records but considers them confidential.

The records are related to Compassion North America, a home health agency whose practices came under scrutiny earlier this year after the Iowa Board of Nursing presented evidence of falsified records, billing for services that were never delivered, and the employment of an unlicensed nurse to provide patient care.

On July 9, the Iowa Capital Dispatch asked the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing for a copy of a private accreditation agency’s inspection report for Compassion North America.

Lee Enterprises slashes compensation costs by $12 million; QC Times parent still reports $2 million loss for third quarter

on Sat, 08/09/2025 - 18:34   by news

Lee Enterprises, Inc. – parent company of the Quad City Times and Dispatch/Argus newspapers – slashed compensation costs by $12 million in the third quarter, but still lost $2 million during the three-month period ended June 29.

The company narrowed its third quarter red ink from a year ago, a loss of 31 cents per share ($2 million) compared to a loss of 73 cents per share ($4.4 million) for the same period a year ago.

Rob Sand says he’s ‘listening’ and ‘putting together a plan’ to address water quality

on Fri, 08/08/2025 - 20:29   by Anonymous

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
August 7, 2025

State Auditor Rob Sand, who is running as a Democratic candidate for governor, said Thursday he is still “learning” and “listening” to stakeholders to develop a plan toward what some have called a water quality crisis in Iowa. 

Sand spoke with reporters after a tour of Des Moines Water Works, and said he agrees that water quality issues have reached a crisis point in the state, and he wants to develop a “realistic and well informed and achievable” plan to address the issue. 

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.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst speaks in support of cuts to USAID and public broadcasting

on Fri, 07/18/2025 - 02:47   by Anonymous

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch
July 17, 2025

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst praised the cuts to U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) included in the bill passed in the early hours of Thursday to cancel $9 billion in federal funding for foreign aid efforts and public broadcasting.

Ernst spoke in support of the cuts made through the rescissions bill, requested by President Donald Trump’s administration, that will claw back federal funding that had previously been approved, some of which were provisions targeted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) service earlier in 2025.

The Iowa Republican has regularly criticized USAID spending and supported the DOGE cuts and the closure of the foreign aid agency.

Despite ‘fraudulent practices’ finding, no state probe of home health agency

on Sat, 07/12/2025 - 22:13   by Clark Kauffman

Iowa Capital Dispatch
July 11, 2025

State regulators say they have never inspected and are not investigating a home health agency alleged to have falsified records, billed for services never delivered and used an unlicensed nurse.

State records show that Compassion North America, a home health provider based in Cedar Rapids, was incorporated in 2017 with M’balu Madlene Kebbie, a registered nurse, as its director, but was not licensed by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing until September 2024.

When asked about that, department spokeswoman Diane McCool said it’s possible the company was not providing any medical services in Iowa prior to being licensed last summer.

However, records from the Iowa Board of Nursing, which is administered by DIAL, and sworn testimony from a state health investigator at a hearing overseen by DIAL, indicate the company has been providing medical care for clients at least since June 2022.

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