116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Olivia Cohen
I serve as the Gazette’s Energy and Environment reporter, focusing on water quality, conservation efforts, agriculture and beyond. I have joined the Gazette as a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover under-reported issues. I am also a contributing writer for the Mississippi Ag & Water Desk, an independent collaborative newsroom that focuses on environmental issues along the Mississippi River Basin. Before coming to Iowa, I reported in Chicago and Washington, D.C. I attended Columbia College Chicago and earned a degree in journalism. Outside of work I enjoy traveling, reading and spoiling my dog.
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Latest Articles by Olivia Cohen
Energy Dec. 10, 2025 8:21 am3d ago
The utility company is proposing a 13-mile natural gas extension in Johnson and Washington counties, with the hope to start construction in early 2026.
Environmental News Dec. 5, 2025 10:31 am8d ago
More than 34,000 licenses have been sold ahead of the first round of shotgun deer hunting season this weekend, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is projecting steady harvest numbers.
Energy Dec. 5, 2025 7:33 am8d ago
According to data from the Iowa Department of Transportation, nearly all of Iowa’s 99 counties saw an increase in electric vehicle registrations over the last 18 months — mirroring a similar trend between December 2022 and June 2024.
Environmental News Dec. 5, 2025 7:34 am8d ago
Despite having a wetter-than-average July due to more rainfall, Iowa’s dry autumn conditions have let drought conditions creep back into parts of the state.
News Dec. 4, 2025 3:46 pm9d ago
Residents can shop donated clothes at no cost, support local food pantries and help reduce textile waste at this weekend’s event in Johnson County.
Environmental News Dec. 2, 2025 9:11 am11d ago
Maya Ogren’s lasting impact on environmental education continues to grow, nearly a decade after she poured her life’s final energy into launching the Iowa Master Naturalists program.
Energy Dec. 2, 2025 4:40 pm11d ago
Iowa commissioners gave permission this week for ITC Midwest to move forward with plans to build electric transmission lines in Eastern Iowa, one piece of a multimillion-dollar portfolio of projects intended to improve power grid reliability and resilience across the Midwest.
Agriculture Dec. 1, 2025 5:30 am12d ago
Experts say that the majority of the state’s field have a drain tile system to help remove soil moisture, but it can come at an environmental cost.
Agriculture Dec. 1, 2025 3:05 pm12d ago
An unusually warm, wet summer fueled the spread of crop diseases, and now some corn farmers have reported lower-than-expected yields.
Environmental News Nov. 21, 2025 4:56 pm22d ago
The U.S. Geological Survey will be flying airplanes over parts of Eastern Iowa starting this month to help make new maps for the research group. The federal agency says the minerals it is looking for could boost the economy and bolster national security.
News Nov. 21, 2025 1:29 pm22d ago
According to a news release, an older adult in southwest Iowa has died from influenza.
Environmental News Nov. 17, 2025 6:45 pm26d ago
As Iowa researchers continue the search for a new funding source for the state’s largest water sensor network — which provides real-time data about nitrate, phosphorus and flow levels in the state’s rivers and streams — the network’s director said Iowa’s nitrate issues are continuing to expand.
Agriculture Nov. 17, 2025 12:26 pm26d ago
Continued market uncertainty following the United States’ trade dispute with China has led many soybean producers to store their grain rather than sell now, hoping for an increase in prices.
Environmental News Nov. 11, 2025 7:58 am32d ago
Nearly 200 professors and researchers endorsed this year’s climate statement highlighting how a warming climate may lead to increased insurance costs in Iowa.
Curious Iowa Nov. 10, 2025 8:32 am33d ago
Turbines are built with ‘the end in mind,’ expert says

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