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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) – after years of seeking to avoid federal designation of Muscatine for being in violation of ambient air standards – will begin the process of developing a plan to reduce sulfur dioxide pollution in the community.

A meeting has been scheduled by the IDNR for 6 p.m., Thursday, October 3 at the Environmental Learning Center, 3300 Cedar Street, to discuss preliminary plans for addressing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "non-attainment" designation of Muscatine issued July 26.

With the non-attainment designation comes the requirement the state develop a plan to bring the city into compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The so-called State Implementation Plan (SIP) must be completed within 18 months of the non-attainment designation.

The Iowa Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) won't contest any of the $6 million in expenditures made by MidAmerican Energy to examine the feasibility of building a nuclear power plant in the state.

OCA director Mark Schuling said he is not planning to contest any of the utility's expenses, including the $44,000 spent on a "public perception" study on nuclear power conducted by a Des Moines public relations firm in November 2010. The telephone survey – conducted shortly after the utility got the green light from the state legislature to raise rates to pay for the $15-million feasibility study – focused on six locations identified as likely sites for a new nuke plant.

The survey by Flynn Wright Public Relations found residents in Woodbury County would not be happy about the prospects of a nuclear plant nearby, while residents in the two "finalist" sites – Muscatine and Fremont counties – were much more "accepting" of a nuclear plant being built nearby.

For the past six years, the Bettendorf Home Depot has received a $151,000 property tax rebate check from the city thanks to a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) deal that enticed the company to build a store as part of the Duck Creek Plaza redevelopment along Middle Road.

However, the significant tax break – totaling $5.37 million over the 11-year TIF period ending in 2016 – hasn't deterred the hardware store chain from pursuing nearly yearly appeals to state and local tax officials as it seeks to reduce the assessed value of the property, and, consequently the property taxes paid each year to Scott County, the city and the Bettendorf School District.

Two years ago, the company was successful in lowering its taxable value from $6.76 million to $6.167 million, a 9 percent decrease. Store attorneys had asked for a reduction to $6 million, or more than an 11 percent cut, according to Scott County officials. However, in the ensuing negotiations, the county and Home Depot agreed to the $6.167 million assessment.