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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]