COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — A Council Bluffs physician and longtime bird watcher is raising concerns about coal ash disposal near Iowa's power plants and its potential impact on water quality and public health.

WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW Iowa Doctor Warns About Coal Ash Impact on Water Quality

Dr. Glenn Hurst, who has been birding since age 10, spends time observing wildlife near the Missouri River. He worries about what he sees in the coal ash pits near the MidAmerican Energy plant.

"So, we see a lot of water fowl in these coal ash pits," Hurst said.

Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal for electricity and must be disposed of somewhere. In Iowa, that disposal often happens near waterways.

"So, that creates that huge risk of coal ash contamination if it's not being handled, m

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