6 Iowa’s Power Plants.

A very common source of chemical pollutants in Iowa is the release of toxic elements from coal fired power plants. Iowa has yet to fully transition to renewable energy and continues to rely heavily on coal to generate electricity for homes, businesses and industries in Iowa. All fossil fuel emissions negatively impact Iowa’s environment and air quality, unlike fossil fuels “renewable energy technologies are more durable; therefore, you will spend less on maintenance and repair. Overall, the operational cost of renewable energy stations is significantly less than traditional power stations.” (Lakeh, 2024). These power plants are actively emitting large amounts of mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and many other toxic substances into Iowa’s air, lowering the overall air quality. The cycle of fossil fuel usage simultaneously increases Iowans taxes while decreasing overall efficiency of electricity and increasing the toxins within Iowa’s air particles. Iowa’s dependence on outdated energy amplifies the urgency toward cleaner alternatives. Something that should also be considered within our power plants is that coal contains more sulfur than any other fossil fuel which is one of the leading causes of acid rain. (EG)

Coal is also able to produce a toxin called fly ash which includes a variety of substances that can cause adverse health effects, while fly ash is not the biggest contributor to low air quality in Iowa it is something that needs to be considered and decreased in the near future. The highly toxic chemical pollutants released from power plants impacts Iowa’s air quality, environment health and human health severely. As stated before coal contains such high levels of sulfur which then goes onto form sulfur dioxide and aid in the production of acid rain. While China is considered to be one of the regions that struggles with acid rain the most, “People living in Cedar Rapids and Muscatine have been exposed to atmospheric SO2 levels above the NAAQS. Particulates are a known problem in Mason City and Buffalo, and high levels of both particulates and ozone have been measured in Davenport.” (Iowa Department of Naturalist: Iowa Air Pollution, 2018). Sulfur dioxide is one of the primary components in acid rain and can cause various adverse effects within the environment and Iowa citizens. (EG)

Acid Rain. 

Coal fired power plants are a huge contributor to the production of acid rain. When toxins released from sources like power plants and motor vehicles combine with existing atmospheric molecules, water vapor and warming temperatures they have the ability to produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are the primary components of acid rain. Although acid rain does not directly form ground level ozone, the pollutants within acid rain contribute highly to the formation of ground level ozone. The ground level ozone is located within the troposphere of the atmosphere, this is considered the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere. The troposphere provides a majority of the air humans breathe and regulates weather patterns. Iowa’s coal fired power plants significantly contribute to the rapid formation of the elements within acid rain, subsequently impacting air quality and public health. Iowa transitioning from coal fired power plants to cleaner energy sources would enhance Iowa’s air quality and the health of Iowa citizens. (EG)

However Iowa is actively maintaining coal fired power plants which continues to deplete the troposphere and increase the toxicants within the ground level ozone, the effects to the troposphere are identified during the warmer months when Iowa’s agriculture emissions spike and stagnant air traps toxins near the surface. The inhalation of the particles hidden in the troposphere can further contribute to upper respiratory problems, decrease lung function and are highly dangerous to Iowans. Beyond acid rain decreasing air quality, acid rain also affects soil and water acidification. High acidification levels in Iowa’s air, water and soil can harm agriculture activities, reduce livestock productivity and cause DNA mutations, the depletion of essential sources will alter the land of Iowa forever. (EG)

The invisible characteristics of acid rain often lead to misconceptions that this is not a local issue, Iowans need to stay informed that these assumptions are completely false. “Because we burn so much coal, Iowans generate a lot of acid rain pollutants. Every ton of SO2 spewed from an Iowa utility goes somewhere. It travels through the atmosphere and rains or settles on plants, people, wildlife, forests, and water.” (Iowa Department of Naturalist: Iowa Air Pollution, 2018). Acid rain may not be a prominent concern within Iowa’s population, but local actions are contributing to deteriorating air quality, damaging forest and polluting water systems within regions of the country. (EG)

Motor Vehicles: Smog contributor.

Motor vehicles and transportation are other significant contributors to poor air quality and smog formation in Iowa. Smog is the mixture of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone and other harmful pollutants. The ‘mysterious’ haze we see settling over Iowa’s fields and prairies in the summer months should not be so mysterious, it should be more strictly regulated as smog is highly dangerous to humans and in some cases can be lethal. Iowa’s high transpiration rates release a substantial amount of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, these chemical pollutants are actively entering Iowans lungs and decreasing Iowa’s air quality. (EG)

Something that needs to be noted within Iowa’s pollutant measurements “The nitrogen oxides measurements in Iowa began in 1976 and were discontinued after 1981 because the concentrations were far below the standard”. (Iowa Department of Naturalist: Iowa Air Pollution, 2018). While nitrogen oxide levels have decreased over recent decades, they still remain present in Iowa’s air.  There seems to be a pattern with Iowa’s demographic as many of the local citizens believe they are not affected by the high concentration of chemicals that are hidden within Iowa’s air particles. Which highly aids in the low standardization of Iowa’s regulations, false beliefs and skewed perceptions on state/local air pollution. Smog, usually stereotyped to larger countries such as India and Asia has actually been observed within rural considered states. “Smog has occurred in Iowa’s larger cities and can even drift into rural areas. In 1989 and again in 1992, ground-level ozone levels surpassed the NAAQS in the Davenport area.” (Iowa Department of Naturalist: Iowa Air Pollution, 2018). Smog has great potential to drift into rural areas, affecting livestock productivity and agricultural activities. In recent decades Iowa and Earth as a whole experienced consistently warmer temperatures year round, leading to stagnant air patterns which increases the likelihood of smog formation. (EG)