Iowa county approves rezoning for new fertilizer plant

The Scott County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the approval of a rezoning request for 318 acres of prime farmland over the weekend for a proposed new fertilizer plant near Walcott, Iowa, near the Quad Cities area.

The proposed $1.5 billion fertilizer plant would be built by an Egyptian company, Orascom Construction Industries and would produce anhydrous ammonia. Iowa Fertilizer Company, a subsidiary of Orascom Construction Industries, would employ 250 people.

County Planning and Zoning director Tim Huey released his report Saturday morning to the Planning and Zoning Commission members. The land in question has a corn suitability rating of 95.75 out of a possible 100, making it prime farmland, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Quad City Times reported.

The recommendation to rezone the 318 acres for construction comes with the condition that the property, since it’s considered prime agricultural land, be used only for construction of the fertilizer plant and that if development doesn’t start within a year of final approval of the zoning, that rezoning back to agricultural preservation “be commenced,” Quad City Times reported.

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We may want to have this article changed as I am not sure how the commission
could have approved this one day before the meeting where the voted 6 to 1
against the rezoning. On another note every meeting I have attended we have
been informed by Orascom that this plant would employ 165 people once it
reaches full production