Care about Iowa's natural resources? Then care FOR Iowa's natural resources!
Manure and chemical spills have occurred with regularity in Iowa and their effects are severe.
There have been 127 incidents since 1995, killing over 3.5 million fish.
Annual fish kills range from 2,000 to 1 million since 1989.
The Lott's Creek spill (December 2001) affected 48 miles of stream, killing nearly 1.3 million fish, making it the worst fish kill in Iowa history. Virtually every plant and animal that lived in the spill's path died.
Not only are fish killed, the entire ecosystem is degraded or destroyed. In some cases, recovery could take years.
In many cases, contamination of streams results in danger to human health due to high nitrate levels in drinking water and higher water treatment costs.
The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club has made these recommendations to state government:
Current regulations regarding chemical and manure spills are inadequate. Fines should be large enough to act as a deterrent. Fines should also take into account damages to other wild animals and the ecosystem, not just fish.
When chemical or manure spills damage natural resources, the state should take recourse to federal law. State laws do not adequately account for the extensive effects of major spills.
Much stiffer fines and corrective procedures should be levied on repeat offenders.
Settlement of spill cases should include specific steps the offender can take to prevent reoccurrence.
How you can care for Iowa's natural resources:
The Dept. of Natural Resources has made available for public comment a proposed set of rules to address restitution for pollution causing injury to wild animals and for determining cleanup action and responsible parties. The rules take into account many of the recommendations made by the Sierra Club, so public comment is needed to support these proposed rules. The state is taking a step in the right direction with these proposed rules.
To view the proposed rules online, go to www.state.ia.us/dnr/commissions/nrc/summaries/nrcmay02min.htm
When you get to the Table of Contents, scroll down to the item labeled :Notice of Intended Action- Chapter 113 Restitution for Pollution Causing Injury to Wild Animals. Click on this item to view the proposed rules.
Written comments can be submitted by July 2 to Marion Conover, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319 FAX: 515-281-6794 email: [log in to unmask]
A public hearing is scheduled for JULY 2 at 7 PM. The public hearing will be held over the Iowa Communications Network, so people around the state can participate if they go to specified locations that evening. Comments may be submitted orally or in writing at the hearing. The hearing locations are listed in the proposed rules, which are found online.
Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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