The contract, approved Tuesday by the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency, states that at least 6,000 tons of chipped wood debris will be sold to Michigan-based DTE Energy Services for use in a modified coal plant in Cassville, Wis. that is being retrofitted to burn biomass to produce energy.  The project is made possible in part through grants and loans provided by the state.

The local agency will receive $4 per ton for the debris, which will be prepared at the existing compost site near downtown Cedar Rapids, and DTE will provide shipping to the Wisconsin plant, according to Marie DeVries, planner and contract administrator for the Solid Waste Agency. Although the Cedar Rapids agency has been grinding up wood for compost use for some time, the requirements as to which wood is appropriate for compost differs from what is appropriate for biomass uses.

“This is a project that has been in development since last winter,” DeVries said, adding that the project was not done specifically to address the debris that will be generated when more than 1,000 flood-damaged homes in Cedar Rapids are demolished. “We simply don’t know yet how much of the flood debris will be appropriate for this project or used in other projects.”

As an added incentive for wood products to be diverted from the landfill, organic loads that are sent to the grinder cost $15 a ton. Loads taken directly to the landfill, however, are cost $35 per ton. Since landfill space in Linn County has been an historically controversial issue, extending the life of existing facilities is a win-win situation for both residents and officials.

The site, ijobsiowa.gov, will be the official home of information about the I-JOBS infrastructure improvement program. In an interview with the Iowa Independent earlier this month, Phil Roeder, Culver’s deputy chief of staff, said the goal of the new site would be to allow citizens to “follow the money from application for funds to how decisions are being made to distribution all the way down to how many jobs it is creating.”

Transparency will be key to the success of the bonding initiative, Roeder said, and that idea not only includes the new Web site but also involves ensuring all business is conducted in public meetings.

At its inaugural meeting June 3, the panel charged with handing out $165 million of the I-JOBS funding established Aug. 3 as the deadline for local governments and non-profit agencies to apply for money. And starting today, the board will begin holding meetings at 10 locations around the state to give local residents an overview of the program.

In ceremonies in Marshalltown and Iowa City, Culver signed Senate Files 376, 477, and 474, all aimed at upgrading state infrastructure, creating jobs and flood recovery.

“Passing the legislation was the easy part,” Culver said. “Now, we must get to work creating good jobs and revitalizing our communities.”

The plan, which Culver discussed during his Condition of the State address, establishes an 11-member board within the Iowa Finance Authority to oversee payment of the bonds and ensure the projects fit into the program’s criteria, which include the number of jobs created, the project’s readiness to proceed immediately, and the project’s energy efficiency, among other things. Culver is expected to appoint six of the 11 members, although the time frame of the appointments is not clear. The other members of the board are the directors of several state departments.

The state is expected to sell bonds to pay for grants this summer, with the first grants being awarded soon after the bonds are sold. All money is required to be spent within three years.

Before the measure passed, Culver called on county, city and school officials to submit projects they believed could benefit from I-JOBS money. More than 4,000 projects were submitted, however governments will have to officially resubmit applications to be considered.

Below is a complete breakdown of the I-JOBS spending targets, according to the governor’s office:

Veterans home, community colleges and other public improvements: $285 million

·         $185 million to improve public facilities across Iowa, such as the Iowa Veterans Home, correction facilities, and our community colleges.

·         $100 million for further investments in state public infrastructure, including state parks.

Flood recovery and rebuilding: $165 million

·         $118.5 million in competitive grants available for reconstruction of local public buildings and flood control prevention in communities hit by last year’s disasters.

·         $46.5 million in grants targeted for help to Linn County, Cedar Rapids, and to rebuild fire stations in Palo, Elkader, and Charles City.

Transportation infrastructure: $115 million

·         $50 million to improve the safety of Iowa’s bridges.

·         $55 million to cities and counties to improve local roads, including many roads still damaged by last year’s natural disasters.

·         $10 million invested in airports, rail and trails.

Iowa’s universities: $115 million

·         $100 Million to rebuild 10 buildings destroyed by flooding at the University of Iowa, which will allow the use of nearly $500 Million in federal funds

·         $15 Million to build a veterinary hospital lab at Iowa State University

Environment and water quality: $80 million

·         $35 million to help construct sewers in communities under 10,000.

·         $20 million in competitive grants for communities of any size for water improvement projects.

·         $25 million to water-quality projects, including flood prevention, as well as soil conservation practices.

Housing needs: $35 million

·         $20 million invested in affordable housing for elderly, disabled, and low-income Iowans.

·         $10 million to construct or improve shelters for domestic abuse, emergencies, and the homeless.

·         $5 million to repair homes damaged by last year’s floods.

Telecommunications and renewable energy: $35 million

·         $25 million invested in improving access to technology throughout Iowa.

·         $10 million to create a revolving loan program to support alternative energy projects to support both new jobs and energy independence.