NOTE TO EDITORS AND NEWS DIRECTORS: The following release contains
additional information about the meeting, which was announced in Thursday's
edition of EcoNewsWire.


IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Environmental Services Division

For Immediate Release
April 9, 2004

EPC TO DISCUSS CHAPTER 61 WATER QUALITY STANDARDS DURING SPECIAL MEETING

DES MOINES - The Environmental Protection Commission will discuss an
amendment to water quality standards during a special electronic public
meeting Monday, April 12 at 9 a.m.

The EPC will vote on whether to rescind last month's decision that rejected
a proposed amendment to Chapter 61 of the Iowa Administrative Code, "Water
Quality Standards." The amendment would affect water quality standards for
total dissolved solids.

If the commission votes to rescind the previous decision, it can vote again
to approve or reject the proposed standards.

The standards in Chapter 61 are used to define, measure and protect the
quality of Iowa's surface and ground water.

The proposed amendment would create a site-specific approach in establishing
discharge limits for dissolved solids. This would replace a numerical
standard for total dissolved solids currently used for all waters with a
guideline value. Sources proposing to discharge at a level higher than the
guideline would be required to perform toxicity testing to clearly
demonstrate that the aquatic life in the receiving stream would be protected
before a permit would be issued.

The public is invited to attend the meeting at the DNR office at 7900
Hickman Road in
Urbandale.

Please visit the EPC Web site at www.iowadnr.com/epc/ for more information.

For more information, contact Wayne Gieselman at (515) 281-5817.

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