Newsroom For Tag "water quality"

Algae, E.coli, and Closures: Wrapping up the 2024 Beach Season

posted 9/6/2024
This is the final week of summer beach monitoring, unofficially ending the summer recreational season. Thank you for following along with us for the past 15 weeks of Weekly Water Watch. Before we turn our focus toward fall, let's look back at another unprecedented year of Iowa beach advisories.

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IEC's Alicia Vasto selected for new EPA ag and water quality committee

posted 5/6/2024
IEC's Water Program Director Alicia Vasto has been selected to serve on the EPA's new Animal Agriculture and Water Quality (AAWQ) subcommittee.

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Ten groups including IEC call out DNR for weakening CAFO rules

posted 2/23/2024
A coalition of ten environmental organizations submitted comments to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today, requesting stronger protections for water quality in Iowa's concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) rules.

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2024 Legislative Preview: IEC's priorities for the upcoming session

posted 1/9/2024
The 2024 legislative session is now underway! This is the second year of the 90th General Assembly, and it has arrived with a slew of new priorities and anticipated challenges. Republicans continue to enjoy the benefits of a Trifecta government - they control the Governor's office, the Senate, and the House, and therefore control the legislative agenda.

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DNR backtracks on CAFO rules

posted 12/12/2023
After months of work with stakeholder groups, DNR backtracked on positive changes in a November 15 update to draft rules for animal feeding operations (AFOs). The Environmental Protection Commission approved moving ahead with the weaker rules on November 21. Staff Attorney Mike Schmidt walks through the timeline and what's next.

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New report reveals true costs of CAFOs in Iowa

posted 11/14/2023
Iowans are shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars to treat their drinking water and pay for treatment of life-threatening health care issues caused by nitrate pollution from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the state, according to a new report published by IEC.

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A record-breaking wrap: 2023 beach monitoring statistics

posted 9/8/2023
Last week was the final week of summer beach monitoring, unofficially ending the summer recreational season. IEC looks back at what was a record-breaking year of Iowa beach advisories.

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IEC comments in DNR hearing on new Supreme Beef NMP

posted 8/10/2023
This week the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) took comments and held a public hearing on Supreme Beef's latest attempt at a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP). IEC outlines what the NMP is getting wrong.

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IEC releases new infographics outlining need for Numeric Nutrient Criteria

posted 7/28/2023
Nutrient pollution from fertilizer (excess nitrogen and phosphorus) is the state's most severe water quality problem. The Clean Water Act requires states to set water quality standards limiting the these types of pollutants and offers two approaches: narrative and numeric. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently uses relies on narrative criteria for fertilizer pollution control. IEC shares new infographics that illustrate why this is harming our waters.

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New report analyzes expansion of CAFOs in Iowa's floodplains

posted 6/23/2023
This week the Iowa Environmental Council (IEC) and Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) published a report that details animal feeding operation (AFO) construction and expansion in Iowa's 100-year floodplain. The Environmental Working Group performed geospatial analysis on AFOs in Iowa's floodplains.

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