National air quality standards have been exceeded 26 times so far this year in Muscatine, including three days when sulfur dioxide (SO2) pollution reached levels considered unhealthy for all residents and dangerous for sensitive populations (the very young, the elderly and those with asthma).
In Muscatine, 22 of the "exceedances" reported by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources through August 3 were for SO2 pollution and four others were for exceeding the standard for particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5).
In addition to Muscatine, Clinton experienced three exceedances of ozone standards and one exceedance of the air quality standard for SO2. Davenport to date has experienced one exceedance, July 30, for ozone.
Pisgah had four exceedances for ozone, Keosauqua two for ozone and Emmetsburg one for PM2.5.
The statewide total of 39 air quality exceedances statewide is one more than the total exceedances recorded in all of 2011. In 2010, a total of 85 exceedances were recorded statewide.
Muscatine's Grain Processing Corporation in Muscatine is facing a civil lawsuit by the Iowa Attorney General on air and water pollution and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has filed a notice of violation against the firm.
The EPA notice, sent to GPC March 27 alleges the corn-processing facility with violating state air pollution laws over a four-year period, 2007 to 2011.
According to the notice, the EPA alleges the facility at 1600 Oregon St., Muscatine, "repeatedly violated limits on air emissions opacity that were set forth in the company's 1995 amended construction permit and 2003 operating permit."
CLICK HERE to download the full exceedance report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
