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Lee County, Iowa: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Lee County is 162.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. Federal databases place 313 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Rail grade crossing (90), Industrial wastewater discharge (59), Air permit holder (minor source) (43). 2 correctional facilities operate in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 40.5919, -91.5361.

How this county ranks in Iowa

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Lee County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	27.4	17.9	1.53xSignificant	20.9 to 35.5	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	6.1	4.1	1.49x	3.6 to 10.3	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	32.9	23.8	1.38xSignificant	25.2 to 42.4	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	25	18.5	1.35xSignificant	19 to 32.7	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	11.6	8.7	1.33x	7.9 to 16.8	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	24.4	18.7	1.3x	18.6 to 31.7	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	65.2	51.8	1.26xSignificant	55.7 to 76.1	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	8.1	6.6	1.23x	5.1 to 12.6	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	36.2	30.2	1.2x	29.1 to 44.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	162.9	143.2	1.14xSignificant	147.4 to 179.9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	510.4	453.4	1.13xSignificant	481 to 541.4	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	13.6	13	1.05x	8.4 to 20.7	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.4	11.3	0.92x	7 to 15.4	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.6	13.9	0.91x	8.7 to 18	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	12	14.5	0.83x	7.6 to 18.3	2019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Lee County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	9,251	9,842.6	-6%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.8	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	58.5	59.8	-2%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	92.1	96.9	-5%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	15.1	28.6	-47%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde17.42 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.96 per million
Acetaldehyde1.61 per million
Benzene0.77 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

No EPA air quality monitor reports daily AQI for this county.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

313 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Rail grade crossing90
Industrial wastewater discharge59
Air permit holder (minor source)43
NPDES wastewater discharge permit29
Gas station (mapped facility)23
Small hazardous waste generator12
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
TRI reporting facility10
Major air pollution source8
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)7
Large hazardous waste generator5
Large greenhouse gas emitter3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Commercial airport2
Correctional facility (prison or jail)2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Brownfield property1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Gas power plant1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Roquette America, Inc, Keokuk
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $207,488.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000415505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Climax Molybdenum Company, Fort Madison
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017769244 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Koch Fertilizer Wever, Llc, Wever
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055072424 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Climax Molybdenum Co, Fort Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Molybdenum trioxide, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Lead And Lead Compounds and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 14,747,029 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52627CLMXMHWY61 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 10
Koch Fertilizer Wever Llc, Wever
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Methanol, Formaldehyde and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,815,390 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5265WWFRTL18THS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.6
Roquette America Inc, Keokuk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia, Vanadium compounds, Nickel and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 718,112 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52632THHBNONEPR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9
Amsted Rail Co Inc, Keokuk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Phenol, Ammonia, Manganese, Zinc (fume or dust) and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 86,341 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52632GRFFNCARBI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.3
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Inc., Fort Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene. Reports carcinogens. 71,945 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52627FRHFCHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Axalta Coating Systems Usa Llc- Fort Madison Plant, Fort Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Butyl acrylate, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, Toluene, Styrene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 53,952 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52627DPNTF80135 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Keokuk Steel Castings, Keokuk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Naphthalene, Diisocyanates, Manganese, Nickel and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 28,432 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52632KKKST240RO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Roquette America, Inc, Keokuk
Major air pollution source. Penalties $207,488.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000415505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Koch Fertilizer Wever, Llc, Wever
Major air pollution source. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055072424 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.3
Roquette America, Inc, Keokuk
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $207,488.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000415505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Keokuk City Of Stp, Keokuk
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043869016 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Climax Molybdenum Company, Fort Madison
Major air pollution source. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017769244 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Koch Fertilizer Wever, Llc, Wever
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055072424 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Scotts Co Fort Madison Iowa, Fort Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Bifenthrin, Triclopyr-triethylammonium salt, 2,4-D, Malathion and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 586 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52627CHVRN1800S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.6
Amsted Rail Company, Inc, Keokuk
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000415444 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Roquette America, Inc, Keokuk
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $207,488.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000415505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Dupont Specialty Products Usa Llc - Fort Madison, Fort Madison
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055435159 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Ideal Reay Mix - Keokuk, Keokuk
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 245 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5263WDLRYM29CAR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Ideal Ready Mix - Fort Madison, Fort Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 207 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 5262WDLRDY12514 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.3
Climax Molybdenum Company, Fort Madison
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017769244 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Koch Fertilizer Wever, Llc, Wever
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $10,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055072424 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Conagra Foods Packaged Foods Llc, Fort Madison
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 11,851 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 52627THDLCHWY61 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.1

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Iowa Prison Industries, Fort Madison
EPA FRS registry ID
110007505440
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Fort Madison State Penitentiary, Fort Madison
EPA FRS registry ID
110043703944
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Lee County

Iowa state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Lee County, and their findings.
Iowa vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Iowa health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Iowa environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Iowa drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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