Iowa DNR News

Environmental Services Division

 

For immediate release                                                                                   May 14, 2007 
 

1.       Officials investigate fire at shooting range 
  2.. EPA announcement will not affect deadlines for Iowa livestock producers
 

 

 

OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE FIRE AT SHOOTING RANGE 
 

MEDIA CONTACT: Mick Klemesrud at (515) 281-8653.

 

DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the State Fire Marshal's office are investigating a fire at the Charles "Butch" Olofson shooting range that began Friday evening. The fire caused an undetermined amount of damage and is still smoldering. 

 

The fire occurred on the 100 yard shooting range in the berm area bullet trap behind the target. The berm is made from compressed and baled tires causing an intensely hot fire that damaged the steel framework and roof of the bullet trap.  

 

Fire departments from Polk City, Madrid and Ankeny initially responded to the scene.  The incident remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal's office and the DNR.  

 

The Charles "Butch" Olofson shooting range is adjacent to Big Creek State Park, in northern Polk County. The 25 yard, 50 yard and center fire shooting ranges are still open.  

 

 

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EPA ANNOUNCEMENT WILL NOT AFFECT NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN DEADLINES FOR IOWA LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ken Hessenius, supervisor of the DNR Spencer field office, at (712) 262-4177.

 

DES MOINES - The DNR announced today that federal delays in requiring livestock and poultry producers to submit nutrient management plans will not affect the state deadline of July 31, 2007.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced May 4 that they plan to delay the deadline for requiring nutrient management plans. The decision will move the deadline from July 31, 2007, to Feb. 27, 2009. However, this has little impact on Iowa open feedlot producers because of state law. 

 

"Don't put it off," said Randy Clark, a DNR attorney. "The July 31 deadline is required by state statute, so it would take a change in state law to change the date that these plans need to be in place."

 

A nutrient management plan (NMP) is required for open feedlots that have 1,000 or more animal units. That is equal to 1,000 beef cattle or 700 mature dairy cattle. 

 

A few other producers need a nutrient management plan, but only if they are required to have a national pollutant discharge elimination system or NPDES permit. 

 

Livestock producers need to start using the plans on or before July 31. They need to have the plans approved by the DNR before removing or land-applying any manure or feedlot nutrients.

 

"Producers need to start on these plans now, because they will take some time to develop," Clark said. 

 

"There's also a requirement to notify the public and we will be sending out letters to about 150 producers soon to help them develop the public notices. It will take about 40 days for the notice to be published and the public to have time to comment on the nutrient management plans," he said. 

 

Producers can find a form for the plan (DNR form 542-2021) on the DNR Web site at http://www.iowadnr.com/afo/forms.html<http://www.iowadnr.com/afo/forms.html> or by calling their nearest DNR field office.

 

More forms, including recordkeeping forms, are available on the Iowa Manure Management Action Group (IMMAG) Web page. These forms can be found at: http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/immag/ppr.html#of<http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/immag/ppr.html#of>.  Use of these specific forms is not required by the DNR, but the information must be recorded and reported. 

 

DNR environmental specialists can also answer questions about the form and the requirements. The DNR has environmental field offices in the following areas:

 

·        Northeast Iowa, Manchester, (563) 927-2640.

·        North Central Iowa, Mason City, (641) 424-4073.

·        Northwest Iowa, Spencer, (712) 262-4177.

·        Southwest Iowa, Atlantic, (712) 243-1934.

·        South Central Iowa, Des Moines, (515) 725-0268.

·        Southeast Iowa, Washington, (319) 653-2135.

A list of nutrient management plan writers is also available on the IMMAG Web page at: http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/immag/sp.html<http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/immag/sp.html>.

 

Producers who have developed a comprehensive nutrient management plan to secure federal cost-share can submit that plan to the DNR as a substitute for the NMP. It must meet all the nutrient management plan requirements to be approved by the DNR.  

 

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