From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
Palo residents questioned its city leaders about a plan to annex land for a propose Google data center. The data center would be located near the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant; that land is now in unincorporated Linn County. The move comes after the County put together restrictions on data centers in new ordinances it passed. Residents asked about water quality issues, environmental impacts, and why Google decided to stop working with the County. Palo’s mayor says there will be more public meetings that could help provide answers to those questions.
A bitcoin mining company wants to open in Dubuque County. The company Simple Mining plans to install servers at Cascade’s industrial park. The Cedar Falls-based company plans to build on about four acres of land. Cryptocurrency mining is the process of validating digital money currencies like Bitcoin. The Cascade Economic Development Corporation says the containers would be self-cooled, meaning its water and power usage would be more efficient. The project needs building permits approved by the city before construction could begin.
There is also a cryptocurrency mining operation that could go in Cedar Falls. The city could rezone 38 acres near the West Viking Road Industrial Park. These facilities have faced backlash due to issues like high energy consumption. The Cedar Falls Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to meet to hear a rezoning request.
The plan for major expansion of NewBo City Market is scaling back and a top donor for the effort is now getting his money back. The original project would have cost more than $5 million and added a second floor to the building. That plan would have also put the market in debt. The scaled-back version is just under $2 million. Because of the cutbacks, Cedar Rapids City Council Member David Meier and his husband are getting their $50,000 donation back.
Iowa’s winter utility moratorium is ending April 1. Some customers could once again face disconnection if they’re behind on bills. LIHEAP provides a one-time payment to help cover heating costs, with eligibility based mainly on income. Beyond that, HACAP, which administers the program, and Alliant Energy say there are other programs designed to help ease the burden once the moratorium ends. They say customers can reach out to them to explore those options.
