Iowa Department of Natural Resources Environmental Services Division For Immediate Release July 20, 2007 1. Ethanol, livestock and water issues on EPC agenda 2. Storms lead to wastewater bypasses in southeast Iowa ETHANOL, LIVESTOCK AND WATER ISSUES ON EPC AGENDA MEDIA CONTACT: Karen Grimes at (515) 281-5135. DES MOINES - Commissioners will hear from an expert on the ethanol industry; and consider livestock, water quality and drinking water issues at the Aug. 7 meeting of the Environmental Protection Commission. Sparked by discussion of air pollutants emitted from ethanol plants at the July meeting, commissioners invited Dr. Rick Cruse, Director of the Iowa Water Center to discuss policy implications of increased ethanol production. “We need policy to help develop a functional biofuels industry, instead of a dysfunctional system that is destined for failure,” said Cruse. He further defined a functional system as one that has a greater opportunity for success and addresses the bioenergy system rather than focusing on its individual components. In other business, commissioners will be asked to approve a contract for a water quality advocate in the Department of Economic Development. “This new person will assist small and unsewered communities with their wastewater issues,” said Christine Spackman, the DNR’s business assistance coordinator. The DNR will present the latest compliance report on Iowa’s public drinking water program, highlighting the safe drinking water served to more than 2.63 million Iowans by public water supplies in 2006. The number of safe public drinking water sources has remained fairly constant in recent years, despite new federal regulations that have created more requirements for water system operators and state oversight staff. In other action, commissioners will be asked to approve a final rule allowing eligible animal feeding operations to receive low interest loans. The loans could be used for manure management structures, equipment, plans and deep-bedded confinement buildings (under certain conditions). Commissioners will also be asked to approve for notice of intended action a proposal that will establish new air quality rules for grain elevators. The EPC will also hear a summary of previous information and the current status of a proposed rule addressing the land application of manure on cropland to be planted to soybeans. The meeting begins at 10 a.m., with public comments scheduled for 10:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the DNR Air Quality Building, 7900 Hickman Road, in Urbandale. Appointments are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. with Rick Cruse, and at 2:30 p.m. Swine Graphics has demanded a hearing concerning a confinement in Adams County. The full agenda is as follows: ● Approval of Agenda ● Approval of Minutes ● Director's Remarks ● Contract - Regional Collection Center Establishment Grant ● Contract- Iowa Department of Economic Development- Water Quality Advocate ● Contract- Performance Based Training ● Contract- Amendment to National Wetland Inventory for Iowa ● Final Rule- Chapter 93: Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Set-Aside Programs ● Notice of Intended Action- Amendment to Chapters 20,22, 23: Air Quality Program Rules- Permitting Rules for Grain Elevators ● Proposed Rule - Amendment to Chapter 23, Haul Road Best Management Practices (BMP) ● Demand for Hearing: Swine Graphics Enterprises, L.P., regarding the Department's preliminary denial of a construction permit for a proposed swine confinement operation (NWG Finisher) in Adams County. ● State of Iowa Public Drinking Water Program 2006 Annual Compliance Report ● Update: Manure on Soybeans ● Monthly Reports ● General Discussion More information about the agenda items can be found on the DNR Web site under Commissions and Boards at www.iowadnr.gov. The members of the commission are Darrell Hanson, chair, Manchester; Mary Gail Scott, vice chair, Cedar Rapids; Suzanne Morrow, secretary, Storm Lake; Charlotte Hubbell, Des Moines; Henry Marquard, Muscatine; David Petty, Eldora; Ralph Klemme, LeMars; Susan Heathcote, Des Moines; and Paul Johnson, Decorah. The director of the DNR is Richard Leopold. Writer: Karen Grimes # # # NOTE TO EDITORS: This is an addition to the bypasses reported Thursday in EcoNewsWire, which included Cedar Rapids in Linn County and Hampton in Franklin County. It also includes a correction to the bypass from the force main in Washington which occurred on Wednesday, not Tuesday. STORMS LEAD TO WASTEWATER BYPASSES IN SOUTHEAST IOWA MEDIA CONTACT: Paul Brandt at (319) 653-2135. DES MOINES - Heavy rain showers throughout the state this week have resulted in numerous reports of wastewater bypasses reaching streams, rivers and lakes. The following were reported to the DNR Thursday morning: Des Moines County Burlington: Close to two inches of rainfall overnight lead to four of Burlington’s sanitary sewers overflowing. From 4 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Thursday, approximately 1.23 million gallons of untreated wastewater discharged to the Hawkeye storm sewer line, which flows to the Mississippi River. On Tuesday, an additional 285,100 gallons of diluted wastewater surged from three of the four sanitary sewers, eventually entering the Mississippi River. The City of Burlington is currently working on a project to install holding tanks on the Hawkeye sewer line. Jefferson County Fairfield: The City of Fairfield began discharging untreated wastewater to Cedar and Crow Creeks at 1 a.m. Thursday from several manholes throughout the city. The discharge stopped by 8:45 a.m., with approximately 167,400 gallons entering both creeks. The city is working on identifying and eliminating sources of inflow and infiltration in order to reduce these types of wet weather bypasses from occurring. Washington County Ainsworth: The main lift station for the City of Ainsworth began discharging untreated wastewater at 3 a.m. Thursday as a result of heavy rain totals. The discharge stopped at 3:30 a.m., with approximately 100 gallons reaching Long Creek Washington: The City of Washington discovered a force main leak at one of its lift stations Wednesday afternoon. Sewage from the Sunset Park Lift Station began bubbling from the ground, where it traveled to a storm sewer intake location. The storm sewer discharges to a tributary of Crooked Creek. Washington wastewater treatment plant officials repaired the leak by 5 p.m. Wednesday. “The City of Washington received more than two inches of rain Wednesday night into Thursday morning, so any impact to the storm sewer or creek was likely washed away,” said Paul Brandt, an environmental specialist at the DNR field office in Washington. Heavy rains in the area are also causing bypassing at the treatment plant early Thursday morning. The treatment plant is bypassing from its storm pond and headworks after heavy rains Wednesday night. The discharge reaches Crooked Creek as well, where amounts discharged remain unknown. Writer: Holly Williams -30- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp