The heralded expansion of Alcoa's Davenport Works will add $300 million in new construction, an estimated 150 new jobs, and a significant increase in the facility's emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC's).

The increased emission of VOC's -- which lead to the formation of ground-level ozone -- is high enough to require the company to obtain a modification in its Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit. The plant's air quality construction permit is under review by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), which will hold a public meeting on the issue at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday (1/17) at the Bettendorf Public Library.

The aluminum manufacturing facility at 4879 State Street currently emits an estimated 240 tons of VOC's each year, and that would be increased by an additional 247 tons with the planned expansion announced last September.

National air quality standards were exceeded 39 times in Iowa during 2011, a significant drop from the 85 exceedances recorded in 2010, according to the latest report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

All 39 exceedances last year were recorded in Muscatine - 37 for high SO2 (sulfur dioxide) levels and two for high PM 2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns).

In 2010, 33 air quality exceedances were recorded in Muscatine, 10 in Clinton and nine in Davenport.

A tax increment financing (TIF) deal to entice a Von Maur department store to move from Iowa City to Coralville appears to have triggered renewed efforts to reform state TIF laws.

One developer group, the Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI), is warning members about "a strong bipartisan effort to curtail TIF" in the upcoming legislative session, blaming the recent Coralville incentive for the renewed attention.

The paid circulation of the Sunday Quad City Times fell below 60,000 in 2011, a 15 percent decline from five years ago.

According to figures from the Lee Enterprise, Inc. 10K (annual report) filings, paid circulation of the Sunday Quad City Times has fallen from 68,562 in 2007 to 59,482 in 2011. Ten years ago, the Sunday paper's circulation was just above 71,000.

MidAmerican Energy paid $44,000 for "public perception" research as part of its 3-year, $15-million study on the feasibility of building a nuclear power plant in Iowa.

The assessment bill from Des Moines advertising/public relations firm Flynn Wright, Inc. was among the $2.3 million in expenses MidAmerican Energy charged to Iowa customers in the first year of the feasibility study.

Davenport recently approved a $1.3-million engineering contract to plan sewage system improvements aimed at alleviating overcapacity at its treatment plant and the discharge of partially treated sewage into the Mississippi River.

Meanwhile, Bettendorf -- one-quarter owner of the Davenport treatment plant -- is eyeing a four-year 49 percent overall sewer rate hike to fund its share of the plant upgrade and pay for a new sewer interceptor and lift-station for future development of the I-80/Middle Road corridor.

A Muscatine citizens group has asked Gov. Terry Branstad to recuse Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Director Roger Lande from handling any issues related to Grain Processing Corporation (GPC).

The group, Clean Air Muscatine (CLAM), believes Lande has a conflict of interest because he was a partner in a Muscatine law firm which represented GPC prior to being named IDNR director in 2010.

As it announced a week ago, Lee Enterprises -- owner of the Quad City Times and Muscatine Journal -- filed Monday (12/12) for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to complete the refinancing of its nearly $1 billion debt.

The company said last week it would file the "prepackaged" bankruptcy after failing to obtain the consent of 6 percent of its lenders to the refinancing deal.

The pricetag for the new Interstate 74 bridge and corridor improvements may escalate to $1.4 billion -- more than double the projected cost in 2004 -- before the work is completed.

During the presentation to the Bettendorf City Council last week, Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) officials said the overall bridge/corridor work currently is estimated at $767 million, but by 2015 the cost is expected to increase to $1 billion.

Adding in inflation and a contingency amount for unanticipated cost increases between 2015 and when the work is actually completed, the total price for the bridge and highway upgrades could reach $1.4 billion, the IDOT said.

CLICK HERE to view the Iowa Department of Transportation slideshow presentation to Bettendorf City Council December 6, 2011.

MidAmerican Energy wants to boost electric rates, and is proposing a first-ever "environmental compliance" adjustment clause to reflect those costs on customers' electric bills.

The privately owned utility says it plans to seek approval for an overall 3.5 percent rate increase in February 2012. Interim rates could be in place by March.

Rather than file a general rate case, the utility has outlined in filings with the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) that it wants to add two automatic adjustment clauses for "environmental compliance" and "coal and coal transportation" costs.