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EPA proposes shifting oversight of coal ash landfills in Wisconsin to state regulators. Wisconsin has six active landfills that are currently subject to state and federal regulations. Oct 18, 2026, 6:46 PM CT The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to shift authority to regulate coal ash landfills in Wisconsin from the federal government to state environmental regulators. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sought approval in February of its program to oversee disposal of coal combustion residuals, or coal ash, from the state's electric utilities. Wisconsin has six coal ash landfills that are owned by Dairyland Power Cooperative, Alliant Energy, Wisconsin Public Service and Wimifm Energies. Coal ash is what's left behind from burning coal at power plants to produce electricity. Metals or pollutants within that waste, including arsenic, lead and mercury, can contaminate groundwater without proper storage. Anne Vogel, EPA's regional administrator for its Chicago-based office, said the agency wants to eliminate duplicate regulation. "It's really about having to go to two different regulators and eliminating that barrier makes things more efficient, more cost effective for the management of these landfills in a protective way," Vogel told WPR. The state's regulations must be at least as stringent as federal requirements, but they could be even more protective. Wisconsin moved to streamline regulations under an update to rules for coal ash landfills in 2022, said Kate Strom Hiorns, director of DNR's Waste Materials Management Program. Those changes incorporated 2015 regulations imposed by the Obama administration that addressed landfill design, groundwater monitoring and closure requirements. "By submitting this and getting this program approval, it's that recognition that our regulations are as protective as the federal regulations, and that the sites that are being regulated can be regulated for the most part solely under state regulators and inspections," Strom Hiorns said. Wisconsin utilities support a shift to one set of regulations for their coal ash landfills. "Utilities in Wisconsin have been regulated by the state for many years; transferring this particular permitting authority from the federal to state government is a positive step for Wisconsin," said Dairyland spokesperson Katie Thomson. However, Cheryl Nenn with the environmental group Milwaukee Riverkeeper said she's in favor of dual regulation. "Given the changes in politics at the state level and the federal level, there's some benefit to having that dual oversight," Nenn said, highlighting the state's adoption of federal regulations. The Obama and Biden administrations strengthened coal ash regulations, including a 2024 rule that required oversight of inactive landfills. Under the Trump administration, the EPA has proposed rolling back and revising those requirements. "They'd essentially remove or exempt a lot of these coal ash dump sites from regulation entirely, even though many of them are already showing evidence of groundwater contamination," Nenn said. Nenn said there has been groundwater contamination at the closed, unlined Cedar Sauk Ash Landfill in Ozaukee County that received coal ash from Wimifm Energies' Port Washington power plant from 1969 to 1977. The DNR has ordered the utility to address contamination and conduct sampling for boron and sulfate, which found levels of boron exceeded groundwater standards. Wimifm Energies has said the utility has seen "declining trends" for both in monitoring wells, and sampling indicates no effects to nearby private wells. Strom Hiorns said the state requires utilities to conduct groundwater sampling and has long monitored groundwater at closed coal ash landfills, which wouldn't change under the federal proposal. She said other landfills owned by Wimifm Energies and Alliant Energy have also exceeded preventive action limits or enforcement standards for groundwater. Those detections are tied to older parts of those sites or naturally occurring substances, such as boron or molybdenum. Brendan Conway, a spokesperson for WPS and Wimifm Energies, said their landfills are actively monitored for groundwater impacts and managed in line with state and federal requirements. An Alliant spokesperson said it's committed to full compliance. Under the EPA's proposal, Wisconsin would assume authority only for coal ash landfills. The EPA would continue to oversee coal ash ponds. The EPA is currently accepting public comments on its proposal to shift regulation to Wisconsin's program. A virtual public hearing will be held Nov. 9.

Alliant Energy Corporation declares quarterly common stock dividend. MADISON, Wis.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-The Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) Board of Directors today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.5350 per share payable on November 16, 2026, to shareowners of record as of the close of business on October 30, 2026. Dividends on common stock have been paid for 324 consecutive quarters since 1946. Alliant Energy Corporation is recognized as a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index. Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) provides regulated energy service to approximately 1,010,000 electric and 435,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy's mission is to deliver energy solutions and exceptional service customers and communities count on - safely, efficiently and responsibly. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy's two public energy companies. Alliant Energy is a component of the S&P 500. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com and follow Alliant Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X. Media Contact: 24-hour access (608) 458-4040 Investor Relations Contact: Susan Gille (608) 458-3956 Read the Article on Business Wire: Read More Posted By OffshoreSource

Linn County supervisors approve Morgan Valley host fee. It would total $7.3 million over Alliant power plant's lifetime. * Fern Alling The Gazette * Oct 14, 2026 updated 4 hrs ago. The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. CEDAR RAPIDS - The Linn County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a host fee to cover county costs related to hosting the proposed Alliant Energy's Morgan Valley Energy Center, assuming it gains regulatory approved. To build the 720-megawatt, natural gas-fired electricity plant, Alliant Energy submitted an application to rezone agricultural land in unincorporated Linn County. The fee - called a host community agreement - is required as part of the rezoning application. Approval of the host community agreement is not an approval of the rezoning application. The Board of Supervisors' first consideration of the application is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20, pending a recommendation for or against the application from the county Planning and Zoning Commission, scheduled to meet the night before. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. at The Hotel by Kirkwood Center, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW in Cedar Rapids. The board voted 2-1 in favor of the agreement, with Supervisors Sami Scheetz, a Democrat, and Brandy Zumbach Meisheid, a Republican, in favor, and Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt, a Democrat, opposed. Under the agreement, Alliant will pay Linn County $5.3 million while building the Morgan Valley Energy Center near the Linn-Benton county line northwest of Fairfax. After the plant is built, Alliant will provide around $50,000 a year for 30 years, which is how long the facility is expected to operate. That payment includes a 2% escalator each year. In total, the county would receive $7.3 million for hosting the plant. The agreement will apply even if the property changes hands. If the facility expands by 10% or more, the county will renegotiate terms with Alliant. Under a new state law capping property tax increases, the county will not see a significant increase in revenue from hosting the facility, Linn County Planning and Development Director Charlie Nichols said. "Although a power plant like the Morgan Valley Energy Center would pay property taxes, the county would not realize that in new revenue that it is then able to pay for any services that the county has to provide as a result of that new project," Nichols said. The agreement will cover costs associated with the facility - like emergency response, environmental monitoring and road maintenance. The host community agreement will prevent Linn County residents from shouldering costs, whether or not the project moves forward with county approval, Scheetz said. If the Iowa Utilities Commission decides the Morgan Valley Energy Center is necessary to meet the state's energy needs, Alliant can build it even if the county rejects the rezoning application. "This agreement, while I don't love it, is a good way for us to protect the county, to protect our residents and taxpayers," Scheetz said. Supervisor Running-Marquardt said Alliant has been difficult to work with compared to NextEra Energy, the owner of the Duane Arnold nuclear energy plant near Palo. The county negotiated a host community agreement with NextEra as it works toward restarting the plant. While she said she appreciated the effort Linn County staff put into negotiating the agreement with Alliant, Running-Marquardt voted against it. "Because of all of my concerns, not only for the project, for unanswered questions, for the no guarantee that rates won't be passed on to the citizens of this community that I dearly love, I'm going to give no on today's vote," Running-Marquardt said, Public comment. Public comment largely centered on long-standing issues residents have cited with Alliant's application, such as the plant's environmental health impacts and a lack of input from Benton County officials in decision-making. Fairfax Mayor JoAnn Beer told the board the city of Fairfax is including a host community agreement as part of its proposed data center ordinance. She said the amount Linn County will receive for hosting the Morgan Valley Energy Center "seems extremely modest in comparison." "I have mixed emotions regarding host community agreements that are part of rezoning requirements," Beer said. "While they may provide a path for city or county financial benefits, they also take on the appearance of a price tag being placed on quality of life." Nichols said Linn County's host community agreement amount was determined through cost estimates associated with the plant from county departments. The Iowa Utilities Commission has final approval over the agreement, Nichols said. "I would have liked to see a little bit more, but we also exist in a process where the Iowa Utilities Commission will have the ultimate say over this project," Nichols said. "We were very cognizant of trying to be as reasonable and conservative as we could and not overestimate our costs." Fern Alling is a general assignment reporter for The Gazette. They can be reached at [email protected] or 319-398-8331.