From Susan Heathcote at Iowa Environmental Council. Comments are due next Monday! Deadline for Action: 12 August (See Part 1 for details and talking points -- see sample letter below) Proposed Industrial Pollution Permit Endangers the Yellow River in Northeast Iowa A wastewater discharge permit is in process that would seriously damage water quality in the Yellow River watershed. Your comments are needed to help ensure this permit is not approved as it is now written. Copies of the permit can be obtained by calling Steve Williams at DNR at 515-281-8884. In addition to a copy of the permit, you may also want to request copies of the variance request and the Waste Load Allocation/Permit Limits rationale document. DNR Contact Information The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is accepting written comments on the draft permit through Monday August 12, 2002. Written comments can be sent to: Steve Williams Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wallace State Office Building Des Moines, Iowa 50319 You can also submit your comments by email to <[log in to unmask]>. Sample text for letter or e-mail Dear Mr. Williams, I am concerned that the discharge permit that DNR has proposed for AgriProcessors in Postville, Iowa does not protect water quality in Hecker Creek or the Yellow River. Groundwater quality is also at great risk because of the direct connection between surface water and groundwater in the area. It appears the permit allows for violations of cold water stream protections, allows for violations of groundwater protection laws and regulations, and allows for intolerable levels of pollution in Iowa's surface water. It is especially disturbing that DNR would grant variances to our water quality standards to discharges entering the Yellow River, a cold water trout stream and high quality resource water, since Iowa's water quality standards specifically state that these designated water bodies "warrant special protection". I am also concerned that the potential exists for serious groundwater contamination that could impact drinking water. The Karst areas of the statesuch as the area around Postvilleare particularly vulnerable to groundwater contamination and extra precautions are needed to protect this valuable resource. This is particularly the case when wastewater is allowed to enter directly into our groundwater through a sinkhole or losing stream. In fact, Iowa water quality standards state that no new wastewater discharges will be allowed on watercourses that directly or indirectly enter sinkholes or losing stream segments. I ask that DNR enforce standards rather than exempt AgriProcessors from Iowa's water quality standards for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) or from the standard that disallows using a zone of initial dilution (ZID) for cold water streams. I also ask DNR to protect Iowa's groundwater by denying this new discharge into Hecker Creek, a losing stream that is directly connected to the groundwater aquifer. The proposed permit pertains to a new treatment facility separate from the existing industrial lagoon system currently handling waste from AgriProcessors and Turkey Products. Turkey Products plans to continue to operate the existing lagoon system to treat their wastewater so this is clearly a new wastewater discharge. The DNR has complete authority to enforce Iowa's water quality protection laws and regulations and prevent this new discharge into Hecker Creek. Finally, I am concerned that the process used to arrive at this permit is seriously flawed and will set a precedent for future permit deliberations. I request that an additional public meeting be held before any final decision is made on this permit. These issues need to be more thoroughly discussed and adjustments must be made to this permit to achieve a better balance between AgriProcessor's permit needs and Iowa's water quality protection needs. Iowa DNR has a responsibility to protect our surface waters and groundwater and should use the rules and procedures that are currently in place to meet this responsibility. Sincerely, [Your Name] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]