For immediate release: January 7, 2010
1. Water, water quality and watershed improvement on EPC’s January
agenda
2. DNR sets January public hearings on goals for clean lakes
3. EPA accepting comments on water quality plan for Cedar River
4. Tier 2 reports for hazardous substances due in March
WATER, WATER QUALITY AND WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT ON EPC’S JANUARY AGENDA
MEDIA CONTACT: Jerah Gallinger at (515) 313-8909 or
[log in to unmask]
DES MOINES ? The Environmental Protection Commission will hear from a
speaker on the status of underground water supplies, and then address water
quality and watershed improvement during its Jan. 19 meeting in Des Moines.
At 1 p.m., State Geologist Bob Libra will present results from a recently
completed groundwater study that looked at thousands of records from wells,
water production tests, current and historic water levels and water
withdrawal records. The results allow the Iowa Geological and Water Survey
staff to estimate and predict water level changes in the Jordan Aquifer,
Iowa’s most dependable and widespread source of groundwater.
Information about the third round of proposals for recreational and warm
water aquatic life use designations will be presented to the commissioners.
About 600 river and stream segments will be included in this preliminary
list which will provide a higher level of protection for Iowa’s 26,000
miles of perennial streams.
In other action, commissioners will be asked to approve a contract to
develop a water quality plan for the Raccoon River basin. If approved, the
Missouri & Mississippi Divide Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. in
Carroll will use scientific information and consult with stakeholders to
prepare a master plan for the river basin. The plan will set goals and
objectives to guide long-term environmentally sound and economically
sustainable water quality improvement efforts in the watershed. Much of the
project funding will come from federal stimulus dollars, formally known as
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The meeting will start at 10 a.m. with public participation at 10:30 a.m. It
will be held at the DNR Air Quality office, 7900 Hickman Road in Windsor
Heights. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will be followed by
a 7 p.m. dinner at the Spaghetti Works, 310 Court Avenue in Des Moines, and
a 7:30 to 9 a.m. legislative breakfast on Jan. 20. The breakfast will be in
Capitol Room 116 at the State Capitol.
The complete agenda follows:
・ Approval of Agenda
・ Approval of Minutes
・ Director’s Remarks
Notice of Intended Action ? Chapter 61 ? Water Quality Standards (Stream
Reclassifications via Use Assessment and Use Attainability Analyses ? Batch
#3)
・ Contract Amendment ? Viability Technical Assistance with Iowa
Association of Municipal Utilities
・ Final Rule - Chapter 64 - Wastewater Construction and Operation
Permits for Well Construction and Well Service and Well Service Discharges
・ Contract ? U.S.G.S. ? 2010 USGS Joint Funding Agreement
・ Contract Amendment ? IDALS-DSC for Nonpoint Source Program Basin
Coordinator Staffing Assistance
Contract ? Missouri and Mississippi Divide Resource Conservation and
Development, Inc. for a Contract to Prepare a Water Quality Master Plan for
the Raccoon River Basin
Contract ? U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency, Aerial
Photography Field Office (APFO) ? 2008 Midsummer Iowa Orthophoto Project
・ Proposed Contested Case Decision ?Dwayne Christiansen
・ Final Rule ? Chapters 123 Regional Collection Centers and Mobile
Unit Collection and Consolidation Centers and 211 Financial Assistance for
the Collection of Household Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste from
Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators
・ Proposed Rule ? Amendments to Chapter 135, Technical Standards and
Corrective Action Requirements for Owners and Operators of Underground
Storage Tanks
・ Adopted and Filed - Chapter 65 ? Confinement Feeding Operation
Applications for Construction Permits; Demand for Hearing Procedures
・ Plains Justice Letter ? Coal Combustion Waste Regulation
・ Monthly Reports
・ General Discussion
・ Items for Next Month’s Meeting
o Feb. 16 ? Windsor Heights
o March 16 ? Windsor Heights
For more information about the meeting, visit
www.iowadnr.gov/epc/index.html.
The members of the commission are Charlotte Hubbell, chair, Des Moines;
Marty Stimson, vice‐chair, Cedar Rapids; Carrie La Seur, secretary, Mount
Vernon; David Petty, Eldora; Susan Heathcote, Des Moines; Paul Johnson,
Decorah, Eugene Ver Steeg, Inwood; Dale Cochran, Urbandale; and Lorna
Puntillo, Sioux City. The director of the DNR is Richard Leopold.
# # #
DNR SETS JANUARY PUBLIC HEARINGS ON GOALS FOR CLEAN LAKES
MEDIA CONTACT: Chuck Corell at (515) 281-4582 or [log in to unmask]
DES MOINES -- The public is invited to comment on a proposal that would set
goals for how clear Iowa’s lake water must be to be suitable for swimmers.
The DNR’s goal for lakes is to be able to clearly see things about one yard
below the surface. The proposed rule would apply to about 70 public and
private lakes ? all with an average depth of about nine feet (three meters
or more).
Other goals set a limit on the amount of minute plants or algae that can be
present in a lake. Too much algae can turn the water green, especially in
the summer when excess nutrients wash into the lake from surrounding land.
The DNR will host the following six public hearings throughout Iowa to hear
comments on this rule proposal. Any interested person is welcome to attend.
Des Moines: Jan. 11, 10 a.m., Wallace State Office Building, fifth floor
conference rooms, 502 E. Ninth St.
Clear Lake: Jan. 13, 1 p.m., Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. Fourth St.
Atlantic: Jan. 14, 10 a.m., Atlantic Municipal Utilities, conference room,
15 W. Third St.
Milford: Jan. 14, 6 p.m., Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, Waitt Building, 1838
Highway 86.
Independence: Jan. 21, 10 a.m., Falcon Civic Center, 1305 Fifth Avenue NE
Washington: Jan. 21, 4 p.m., Washington Public Library, Meeting Room B, 115
W. Washington St.
People may make oral or written comments at any of the public hearings.
Written comments will also be accepted through Jan. 23. Send written
comments to Chuck Corell, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Wallace
State Office Building, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319-0034; or by
e-mail to [log in to unmask]
# # #
EPA ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON WATER QUALITY PLAN FOR CEDAR RIVER
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Berckes at (515) 281-4791 or [log in to unmask]
DES MOINES ? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting comments
on a water quality improvement plan for the Cedar River.
The plan looks at problems, namely high bacteria levels, in a number of
portions of the Cedar River. The plan is designed as a guide for improving
the river for local resource agencies, partners, stakeholders and residents.
The EPA is developing the plan in cooperation with the DNR.
High bacteria levels impact the river’s recreational uses along segments in
Floyd, Mitchell, Black Hawk, Cedar, Johnson and Linn counties. The plan also
addresses problems along a segment of the Shell Rock River, which flows into
the Cedar, in Floyd and Cerro Gordo counties. Together, these segments
comprise almost 90 percent of the Cedar River watershed, which is the area
of land that drains into the river. They are also all included on Iowa’s
list of impaired waters.
Iowans interested in improving the Cedar River can view the draft plan and
leave comments by visiting the EPA’s Web site at
www.epa.gov/region07/water/tmdl_public_notice.htm. The EPA will accept
comments through Feb. 10. Water quality improvement plans are also called by
their technical name, Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs.
# # #
TIER 2 REPORTS FOR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES DUE IN MARCH
MEDIA CONTACT: Elonda Bacon, EPCRA Coordinator, at (515) 725-0302 or
[log in to unmask]
DES MOINES ? The DNR is reminding facilities and businesses required to
complete Tier 2 chemical inventory reports that the reports are due by close
of business on March 1, 2010.
Facilities are required to submit reports if they store hazardous substances
at or above certain threshold levels. The reports are required by the
Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA).
The DNR is using an online reporting tool for facilities to submit their
Tier 2 forms at www.iowadnr.gov/epcra/tier2.html. Reports may be submitted
to the DNR beginning Jan. 4, 2010.
Please contact Elonda Bacon, EPCRA Coordinator, at (515) 725-0302 or
[log in to unmask] with any questions.
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