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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Tim Hall, Iowa DNR, 515-725-8298 or Tim.Hall@dnr.iowa.gov.
DES MOINES — For the first time in a year, there are areas of Iowa where groundwater conditions are beginning to show stress, according to the latest Water Summary Update.
"For the third month in a row, Iowa received below normal rainfall. After such a wet start to the year, the below normal rainfall has pushed more than half of the state into abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions," said Tim Hall, DNR’s coordinator of hydrology resources.
As the state continues to dry out, indicators of dry conditions continue to slowly expand. Statewide summer rainfall was 10.74 inches, or nearly 3 inches below normal.
More than half of the state is now rated as at least abnormally dry by the National Drought Monitor, while streamflow conditions in areas away from border rivers have moved into the normal flow range.
Iowa temperatures averaged 71.4 degrees, or 0.20 degrees cooler than normal, with the highest temperature in August recorded at 92 degrees in Muscatine, Little Sioux and Oakland. Fayette reported the month’s lowest temperature of 47 degrees, 10 degrees below average.
For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.
The report is prepared by technical staff from Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jerah Sheets at 515-313-8909 or Jerah.Sheets@dnr.iowa.gov.
DES MOINES—The budget request, a rule proposal and contracts head up the Sept. 17 meeting of the Environmental Protection Commission agenda.
On Sept. 16, commissioners will tour drinking water partnerships, a manufacturing plant, and a landfill and recycling site near Knoxville from 12:30 to 5 p.m. The tour is open to the public, but participants must register by Sept. 12 by emailing Jerah.Sheets@dnr.iowa.gov or calling 515-313-8909.
The business meeting begins at 10 a.m. on Sept. 17 in Room 116 of the Iowa State Capitol, 1007 E. Grand Avenue. The fiscal year 2021 budget is up for approval.
In other action, commissioners will be asked if a proposed rule to change the definition of common ownership of an animal feeding operation should go forward. The proposal would change “majority” to ownership of “10 percent or more.” The proposal would affect those owning at least 10 percent of two or more confinement feeding operations located within the regulated separation distances of one another.
Several contracts are on the agenda, along with highlights of Iowa’s nonpoint source pollution management plan showing progress in reducing sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen reaching Iowa’s waterways.
The meeting is open to the public. There is no scheduled public participation. Written comments may be submitted up to one day before the meeting to Jerah Sheets at Jerah.Sheets@dnr.iowa.gov or to DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319 up to one day prior to the business meeting.
The complete agenda follows:
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of the Minutes
- Monthly Reports
- Director’s Remarks
- FY 2021 Budget Request
- Notice of Intended Action – Chapter 65 – Animal Feeding Operations Definition of Common Ownership
- Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund – FY 2020 Intended Use Plan Second Quarter Update
- Nonpoint Source Management Plan (NPS) Update
- Contract with Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Contract with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) for Silver Creek (Howard County) Watershed Project
- 2020 EPC Meeting Dates
- Contract with Windsor Solutions, Inc.
- DNR Water & Land Bureau Overview
- General Discussion
- Flood plains permitting program Q&A
- Items for Next Month’s Meeting
- 15 – EPC Business Meeting – Polk County
Find the complete agenda at http://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/Boards-Commissions.
Commissioners include: Ralph Lents, Menlo, chair; Harold Hommes, Windsor Heights, vice chair; Bob Sinclair, Sigourney, Secretary; Stephanie Dykshorn, Ireton; Amy Echard, Farmersburg; Lisa Gochenour, Logan; Rebecca Guinn, Bettendorf; Howard Hill, Cambridge; and Tim Kaldenberg, Albia. Kayla Lyon is the DNR director.
Any person attending the public meeting who has special requirements such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments should contact the DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.
MEDIA CONTACT: Kelli Book, DNR, at 515-725-9572 or Kelli.Book@dnr.iowa.gov.
DES MOINES – DNR staff work with individuals, businesses and communities to help them protect our natural resources by complying with state and federal laws. This approach is very effective. In the few cases where compliance cannot be achieved, the DNR issues enforcement actions. The following list summarizes recent enforcement actions. Find the entire, original orders on DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov/EnforcementActions.
Consent Orders
A consent order is issued as an alternative to issuing an administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has voluntarily entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the other party.
Jackson County
James Carstensen
Operate feedlot in compliance with regulations, develop and Implement a Plan of Action to address land application and removal of trench or submit a NPDES permit application, and pay a $10,000 administrative penalty.
Mitchell County
White Construction, LLC
Cease all illegal open burning and illegal solid waste disposal, and pay a $10,000 administrative penalty.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Piziali, DNR, at 515-725-9549 or Sarah.Piziali@dnr.iowa.gov for construction permits.
DES MOINES – The DNR Air Quality Bureau has the following draft permits up for review. The permits help protect Iowans’ health and air quality. DNR’s permitting staff review each permit application to ensure facilities comply with state and federal air quality requirements. We encourage public comments on draft permits, providing help on how to make effective comments. Submit written comments to the assigned permit writer before 4:30 p.m. on the last day of the comment period. DNR considers public
comments before finalizing the permits.
Construction Permits
DNR engineers review and issue construction permits to facilities before they build new or modify existing sources of air pollution. The public may review the following air quality construction permits available online at www.iowadnr.gov/airpermitsearch.
Marion County
Pella Corporation – Pella Division – 102 Main St., Pella.
Project No. 19-224, Installation of an inline wood treat system. The public comment period ends Oct. 9.
Story County
City of Ames Steam Electric Plant – 200 E. Fifth St., Ames.
Project No. 19-206, Boiler tube replacement. Public comment period ends Oct. 6.
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