Heeding the advice of concerned student environmental activists and administrators, Iowa’s three largest public universities will begin a groundwater-monitoring program at the unlined quarry in Waterloo, where they dump coal ash.
 
ActivUs, a student environmental and social justice organization, has been pressuring Iowa State administration to change its coal ash disposal methods.  The group is pleased with the new monitoring program for Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa, but will continue pushing for more reform.
 
“It’s a step in the process of our school being more responsible,” he said. “At least now we can get some information,” said Tyler Rygg, the group’s treasurer.
 
ISU alone produces 30,000 tons of the toxic heavy-metal-saturated waste per year. Seventy-five percent of that is deposited in the unlined quarry, where it could leach out into the groundwater.
 
“We’ve found that 25 percent of the ash we produce goes to other uses,” said Rygg, referencing the cement manufacture, manufactured compost materials and soil stabilization applications identified by The Iowa Independent. “We’d like to see that number increase,” continued Rygg.
 
The group will meet with ISU President Gregory Geoffroy to discuss completely phasing out the school’s ash plant Friday.

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