Sheila Brummer
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Iowa Public Radio
Northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County has joined a growing list of Iowa communities developing regulations for data centers. The vote comes after the City of Salix annexed farmland for a potential data center that MidAmerican Energy is shopping around.
Sheila Brummer
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Iowa Public Radio
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At the first reading of a proposed data zoning ordinance, residents of Palo and nearby communities raised concerns over the negative impacts future data centers could have on water and traffic, as well as light and noise pollution. Many people asked for the city to tighten regulations, while several others asked the city to table the ordinance completely. -
With U.S. electricity demand expected to grow significantly by the end of the decade, and the U.S. Department of Energy trying to achieve net-zero emissions in the power sector by 2035, more clean power will need to come online. In eastern Iowa, the potential restart of a nuclear plant could signal what’s ahead for the country. -
All over the country, tech giants are rushing to build massive data centers to support AI-driven demand, and it’s forcing local governments to reckon with how such resource-intensive projects could bring billions in regional investment. One proposed data center in eastern Iowa has become the subject of a standoff between two local jurisdictions.
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Cedar Falls city officials are considering adding zoning laws to potentially accommodate a proposed cryptocurrency mine. Nearby residents say they are worried about noise and potential adverse impacts on the environment and property values. -
All eyes are on the small city of Palo after Google shifted its plans to build a data center there. Some residents are worried about water use and question the tech giant's motivations. The mayor says he sees an upside to the new development but plans to put protections in place for the community. -
On this Newsbuzz edition of River to River, a conversation with Brian Katulis of the Middle East Institute about this week's developments on the United States and Israel's war with Iran which has included the deaths of six U.S. service members, including two Iowans. Also, IPR reporter James Kelley discusses Google’s change of plans for a proposed data center in Linn County, Robin Opsahl of Iowa Capital Dispatch gives an update on this week's activity at the statehouse and Studio One’s Nick Brunner shares this week’s new music picks.
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With data centers on the rise and an increased need for irrigation for farming, Iowa is seeing a bigger need for ground water, with not enough known about our supply.State Geologist Keith Schilling shares how the state's current groundwater monitoring paces far behind neighboring states, and what we should be doing now to reverse the trend. Linn County Sustainability Director Cara Matteson also joins to talk about how the county is prioritizing groundwater mapping and other water studies. Then, we look back at Christopher Merrill's 25 years as director of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa.
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The Linn County Board of Supervisors has approved rezoning that supports NextEra Energy's effort to recommission the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Palo. The project still needs approval from multiple state and federal authorities, but county supervisors say the rezoning gives Linn County residents a seat at the table.
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State and federal leaders want to grow nuclear energy. Supporters are excited about the job opportunities this could bring, while others are concerned about potential health and environmental effects.
