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 Antidegradation
In
October 2007, the Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club, the Iowa Environmental
Council and Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association filed a Petition for
Rulemaking to amend Iowa's antidegradation rules and come closer to
complying with the Clean Water Act. The coalition has met several
times with the
Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) about draft rules. At the
July 2008 Environmental Protection Commission meeting, DNR presented a new draft
antidegradation policy and draft
rules as an information item. Rulemaking is scheduled to
begin in September.
The
DNR has scheduled six informational meetings to discuss the policy and the
implementation procedure. The meeting dates, times and sites are:
July
23, 10 a.m. -- Clear Lake Public Library
July
25, 10 a.m. -- Des Moines, Wallace Building, 5th Floor conference rooms
August
5, 10 a.m. -- Atlantic Public Library
August
5, 6 p.m. Spencer Public Library
August
7, 10 a.m. Manchester Public Library
August
7, 6 p.m. Washington Public Library
The
coalition developed background information about antidegradation
and talking
points to assist members attending the meetings.
Learn more about the Clean
Water Act
Stream
Uses Outreach Project
The Chapter has been involved in a public outreach campaign
to support the recreational uses made of Iowa's rivers and streams.
In 2005, the Iowa Chapter was instrumental in getting state water
quality standards re-written to presumptively protect all perennial and perennial-pooled rivers and streams for recreation and aquatic life.
Our
goal has been to ensure that the
rules are implemented properly. The
State Legislature mandated that all affected streams be formally assessed
before the additional protections will
actually be used in calculating wastewater discharge permit limits.
The Use Attainability Assessment process can be heavily influenced
by public input describing specific personal uses of the water resources.
Please
take
a
minute
to
complete
the
survey
here...The
results of this survey will help determine the level of pollution
protection that streams and rivers will receive.
UPDATE
The
DNR released, and in late 2007 the Environmental Protection
Commission approved, action to downgrade 292
streams. This number represents approximately one third of the
anticipated re-designations.
Click
here
to view a high resolution state map of all the streams being proposed for
a downgrade (large file).
Find
the streams in your county that are included in the proposed rule for
downgrading. Click here
to go to the webpage, then scroll down and click the name of your county of interest.
You
can complete a use survey for your favorite stream and submit it to the
DNR. Download a use survey here...
We need every Iowan that uses our rivers and streams to
answer these questions for each river or stream you use.
Go
to http://programs.iowadnr.gov/uaa/search.aspx
to view the entire list and other details. If you have questions, please call the
chapter office at 515-277-8868 or email iowa.chapter@sierraclub.org.
HINT:
If the listing for your stream says
"Rule
making required = YES"
then
your stream is being downgraded!
At its April 16, 2008, meeting, the
Environmental Protection Commission approved the stream use designation
rules, with amendments affecting 18 stream segments. Under the
amendments, A1 primary contact recreational designation to protect
swimming and canoeing was retained for 8 stream segments and A3 primary
contact children's recreational use was designated for 8 stream
segments. See the list of streams included in that decision here...
Iowa's
Impaired Waters List
The Department of Natural Resources
released its preliminary 2006 impaired waters list -- the latest available
and the Environmental Protection Agency approved the list in July 2008. About 135
new waterbodies have been added to the list from 2004.
The total of 366 impaired waters reflects
an increase in water and biological monitoring, not necessarily an
increase in pollution. The list also includes 92 waters that remain
impaired, but have a water quality improvement plan written.
Read more here...
View
Iowa's Draft 2006 List of Impaired Waters
View
Iowa's Final 2004 List of Impaired Waters
Bypasses
Iowa's above-normal precipitation during 2007 and early 2008 has resulted in more than 350 bypasses
in 2007 and close to 70 this year. According to
the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), "Heavy rain can overload
wastewater collection systems (underground sewer pipes that carry sewage
to a treatment plant). Aging or poorly maintained sanitary sewer systems
are particularly vulnerable to influxes of storm water. With sewage pipes
overwhelmed, excess water has nowhere to go, and can backup into basements
through floor drains. Bypassing can lower the water level in the
collection system, keeping sewage from backing up into basements, which
would present health risks. These types of situations can occur when large
amounts of rainwater or snowmelt, also called storm water, enter a
sanitary sewer from cracks in sewer pipes."
Facilities are required to report bypasses
caused by mechanical failures to the DNR within 12 hours of onset or
discovery. Facilities do not have to immediately report bypasses from
precipitation events, but must include them in their monthly operating
report to the DNR.
DNR tracks bypasses. We do too.
Click here
to see the most current information about your city's bypass history this
year.
Manure Spills and Fish Kills
Find out where the latest
manure spill and/or fish kill occurred here...
Water Quality Standards
Update
Update: Read the final rule
for Protected Flow, General Use Classification Changes and the “Rebuttable
Presumption” Approach here...
Read the final rule for Water Quality Standards (Use Designation Changes
and Warm Water Protocol) here...
Read
about the Clean Water Act, Healthy Swimming,
Ecosystems and more here...
Fish
Advisories Posted
The Department of Natural Resources has
posted fish consumption advisories for six sites. Find out where
they are here...
Iowans
for Clean Water
Clean water belongs to
you! Enforce clean water laws, protect aquatic life, hold polluters
accountable.
Learn
about Iowa problems and how you can help...
The
Clean Water Restoration Act
Senator Russ Feingold (WI) introduced the
Clean Water Restoration Act in the US Senate on July 25th. The new Senate
bill number is S. 1870. The House number is H.R. 2421. Get more
information about the Clean Water Restoration Act from the Clean
Water Network.
Mercury Rule Update
On Feb. 8, 2008, a federal appeals court ruled
that the Environmental Protection Agency violated the Clean Air Act in its
Clean Air Mercury Rule by evading mandatory cuts in mercury pollution by
coal- and oil-fired power plants. Read the news release here...
Read the court's ruling here...
Getting
Squeezed at the Gas Pump?
With
gasoline prices fast approaching $4 per gallon, we need all the ways we
can get to save at the pump. Check out Sierra Club's Pain
in the Gas website to find out more.
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