The results of the Environmental Protection Commission meeting held Monday,
Aug. 20, are pasted below.

Iowa DNR News
Environmental Protection

WATER QUALITY ISSUES REVIEWED AT AUGUST EPC MEETING

DES MOINES - After considerable public input, the Environmental Protection
Commission decided Monday to adopt three changes in water quality standards
but decided not to take action on a proposal affecting drainage ditch
maintenance.

A technical advisory committee that includes members of the Iowa Drainage
Ditch Association and the Iowa Environmental Council will be formed to make
recommendations to the commission on drainage ditch maintenance issues.

The commission adopted the following three changes in water quality
standards:
· reestablish Class A or primary contact recreation use designations for
segments of the Grand River in Decatur and Union counties, the Des Moines
River from Fort Dodge to the state line, Prairie Creek in Webster County,
Big Creek in Henry County, the South Skunk River in Story County, Dry Run in
Blackhawk County, Duck Creek in Scott County and Mill Creek Lake in O'Brien
County.
· reestablish Class C or drinking water use designation for Mystic Reservoir
in Appanoose County, and
· numerical criteria for five chemicals.

The DNR is proposing that non-permitted confinement sites that are required
to submit manure management plans submit those plans to the DNR and to the
county board of supervisors 30 days prior to construction.  The commission
gave its approval for the DNR to seek public comment on the proposal.

In other action the commission approved final adoption of a rule that
formalizes the Iowa plan for open feedlots.  The Iowa plan was developed
with the input of producer groups to provide a way for open feedlots to
comply with existing environmental regulations.

Commissioners also approved two contracts:
· a $40,000 contract with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to develop a
long-term plan to assure that updated Farm*A*Syst materials are available to
help farmers evaluate potential environmental risks from their farms and
residences.
· an addition of $57,848 to a contract with the University of Iowa Hygienic
Laboratory for water quality monitoring needed to develop a total maximum
daily load (TMDL) for Arbor Lake in Grinnell and the Cedar River in Cedar
Rapids. Both waters are on Iowa's 303d list of impaired waters.

Commissioners referred Sunrise Dairy Farms in Benton County to the Attorney
General's office for enforcement action related to construction permits and
manure management.  Sunrise Dairy is not affiliated with Sunrise Ethanol
Plant or Sunrise Beef, also located in Benton County.

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