DNR'S Environmental Protection Commission meeting Monday, 9 a.m.--see
details about two of the items in the text below the agenda.
* Approval of Agenda
* Approval of Minutes
* Director's Remarks
* 2004 EPC Meeting Dates
* Solid Waste Alternatives Program - Recommendations
* Proposed Rule - Adopt new IAC Chapter 567-122 "Electronics Recycling"
* Report and Presentation - Submission of Strategy Report for Electronics
Waste Management in Iowa to Legislature
* FFY 2004 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan
* Humboldt Contested Case
* Final Rule - Drinking Water, Operator Certification and Laboratory
Certification Programs - Chapters 40,41, 42, 43, 44, 81 and 83
* Final Rule - Concrete Standards
* Notice of Intended Action - amending Chapter 20 "Scope of
Title-Definitions-Forms-Rules of Practice" and to amend Chapter 32 "Health
Effects Value (HEV)"
* Denial of Petition for Rulemaking by Agribusiness, et. al
* Piper Contested Case - Tabled
* Referrals to the Attorney General
o Albert Miller [Kalona] - air quality/solid waste/penalty
* Monthly Reports
* General Discussion
* Items for Next Month's Meeting
STATE RENEWS EFFORT TO PROTECT RURAL AIR QUALITY NEAR LARGE ANIMAL FEEDING
OPERATIONS
DES MOINES - The Environmental Protection Commission will be asked to decide
whether to proceed with a recommendation by the DNR to establish health
standards for hydrogen sulfide gas near large concentrated animal feeding
operations.
The commission meets at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15 at the Ingram Office
Building, 7900 Hickman Road, in Urbandale.
The DNR is proposing the health standard for hydrogen sulfide gas in the air
at rural homes and other public building that meet the legislative
definition of separated locations to protect Iowans living near large
concentrated animal feeding operations.
The standard would be used in evaluating monitoring data to determine if
hydrogen sulfide levels near structures that meet the definition of a
separated location near some of the largest concentrated animal feeding
operations pose health risks to citizens.
"The Legislature asked the DNR to study rural air quality near large
concentrated animal feeding operations and we are responding. We have
monitored hydrogen sulfide since April of 2002, but haven't had a health
standard approved to compare the data to. We need an agreed upon health
standard to measure against that data," said Wayne Gieselman, head of the
DNR's environmental programs.
He said the monitoring study is not looking at small or medium farms, but
measuring hydrogen sulfide at homes near some of the largest animal feeding
operations in Iowa.
The DNR is proposing a health standard of 15 parts per billion that could
not be exceeded more than seven times a year measured at those homes,
churches, schools and other public facilities that meet the definition of a
separated location, as required by the legislature.
The health standard would help gauge the quality of rural air, but does not
restrict farm emissions. As required by law, should the health values be
exceeded, then programs and plans to reduce emissions would be enacted after
December 1, 2004. Any proposed methods to reduce emissions would be devised
with expert technical advisory groups.
If approved by the state environmental protection commission, Iowa would be
the 28th state to adopt hydrogen sulfide standards. The Iowa proposal is
neither the most stringent or most lenient and is based on recommendations
by Iowa State and the University of Iowa after reviewing scientific reports.
"The bottom line is we need to be able to protect rural Iowans from
breathing unhealthy levels of hydrogen sulfide gas. We have monitoring data,
but need a standard, then if concerns are found, we can work with
agricultural researchers to explore cost-effective measures to ensure clean
air," said Gieselman.
"We don't know yet if there is a problem or not," he said.
Last year the state Environmental Protection Commission passed rules to set
standards for ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, but intended the rules to affect
not only air near animal feeding operations, but statewide. Lawmakers
nullified that effort as too broad. The new standard applies only to air
near large animal feeding operations at separated locations as required by
earlier legislation.
The DNR is continuing an aggressive research project of odor around
livestock facilities.
This data collection study can help decision makers, researchers and others
foster recommendations on how to better control odors and determine if odor
control regulations are needed.
A fact sheet detailing the proposed health standards can be found at the
DNR's website at http://www.iowadnr.com/air/news/files/H2Sfactsheet.pdf.
For more information, contact the DNR's Brian Button at 515-281-7832.
# # #
EPC TO CONSIDER APPEAL FROM HUMBOLDT COUNTY
DES MOINES - Commissioners will hear an appeal from Humboldt County on a
livestock construction permit at the Dec. 15 meeting of the Environmental
Protection Commission.
The EPC will also be asked to approve final rules for drinking water,
certification programs and concrete standards for manure storage structures.
In other action the commission will be asked to approve going forward with a
health effects value for hydrogen sulfide
In a departure from the regular meeting time, the EPC meeting will begin at
9 a.m., at the DNR office, 7900 Hickman Road in Urbandale. The hearing for
the Humboldt County Contested Case will begin at 10 a.m. Public
participation is scheduled for 1 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.
More information about the agenda items can be found on the DNR website
under Commissions and Boards at www.iowadnr.com.
The members of the commission are Kathryn Murphy, Chair, LeMars; Terrance
Townsend, Newton; Lisa Davis-Cook, West Des Moines; Darrell Hanson,
Manchester; Lori Glanzman, Mt. Pleasant; Jerry Peckum, Jefferson; Heidi
Vittetoe, Washington; Francis Thicke, Fairfield; and Donna Buell, Spirit
Lake. The director of the DNR is Jeff Vonk.
For more information, contact Karen Grimes, at (515) 281-5135.
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