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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Alicia Plathe at 515-313-8909 or Alicia.Plathe@dnr.iowa.gov.
DES MOINES—Commissioners have a short agenda at the Feb. 15 meeting of the Environmental Protection Commission.
The meeting starts at 10 a.m. in DNR’s conference room 2N, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines. The public can also attend via video conference or by phone. To join by video, connect with https://meet.google.com/rzo-uidn-tvg. To join by phone, call 631-618-4607, and enter the PIN code of 484 733 354 followed by the pound (#) sign. The meeting is open to the public. Written comments may be submitted up to one day before the meeting to Alicia Plathe at Alicia.Plathe@dnr.iowa.gov or to DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319.
Commissioners will be asked to approve a contract amendment that enhances construction permitting features in Iowa EASY Air, DNR’s online air quality permit application system.
A petition for rulemaking from the Iowa Environmental Council and the Environmental Law and Policy Center is also up for the commission’s consideration. The petition requests revisions to rules on siting animal feeding operations.
In other action, commissioners will discuss plans for their biennial report.
The complete agenda follows:
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of the Minutes
- Monthly Reports
- Director’s Remarks
- Contract Amendment #6 to existing contract with enfoTech & Consulting, Inc.
- Response to the Iowa Environmental Council and Environmental Law and Policy Center 567 IAC 65 Petition for Rulemaking
- General Discussion
- Items for Next Month’s Meeting
- March 15—EPC Business Meeting and State Hygienic Lab Tour
- April 19—EPC Business Meeting
Find the complete agenda and more information under Environmental Protection Commission.
Commissioners include: Ralph Lents, Menlo, chair; Harold Hommes, Windsor Heights, vice chair; Stephanie Dykshorn, Ireton, secretary; Brad Bleam, Rockwell City; Rebecca Dostal, Traer; Amy Echard, Farmersburg; Patricia Foley, Huxley; Lisa Gochenour, Logan; and Mark Stutsman, Hills. Kayla Lyon is the DNR director.
Any person participating in 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: Roger Bruner at 515-310-0247 or roger.bruner@dnr.iowa.gov.
LENNOX – Iowans interested in results of a DNR study to improve water quality in Wilson Park Lake in Taylor County can view a presentation on DNR’s YouTube channel.
Wilson Park Lake is on the state’s list of impaired waters for high levels of algae. The current study, or DNR water quality improvement plan, shows how too much phosphorus in the lake has caused these problems. The algae levels impact recreation on the lake.
Planners explored the amounts and sources of phosphorus entering the lake. Highlights of the plan include potential solutions to reduce those levels and work toward fixing the problem. The document is designed as a guide for local resource agencies, partners, stakeholders and residents to improve the lake.
The presentation is available now at youtube.com/iowadnr through March 7. The full document can be downloaded from the DNR’s watershed improvement website.
Submit public comments on the plan by March 7 by email to roger.bruner@dnr.iowa.gov or mail to Roger Bruner, care of Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319.
After gathering Iowans’ comments, the DNR will forward the final plan, also called by its technical name of Total Maximum Daily Load, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval.
MEDIA CONTACT: Tamara McIntosh, DNR, at 515-725-8242 or Tamara.Mcintosh@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.
Appanoose County
Hill Phoenix, Inc dba Hill Phoenix Specialty Products
Maintain records and comply with all air quality construction permit requirements; submit within 30 days all records required by permits and permit exemptions; and pay a $6,500 administrative penalty.
Delaware County
Ken Ries
Pay a $3,000 administrative penalty.
Muscatine County
City of Conesville
Comply with all terms of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit; immediately retain a certified wastewater operator; and pay a $2,484 administrative penalty.
MEDIA CONTACT: Marnie Stein, DNR, at 515-725-9525 or Marnie.Stein@dnr.iowa.gov for Title V permits; or 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.
Title V Operating Permits
Title V Operating permits are reviewed and re-issued every five years. Facilities with a Title V permit have the potential to emit large amounts of air pollutants compared to other facilities. The five-year reviews are a federal requirement and ensure adequate monitoring is included in the permit. The DNR plans to issue Title V Operating Permits for the following facilities. Find permit details at www.iowadnr.gov/titlev-draft.
Johnson County
Loparex LLC – 2000 Industrial Park Road, Iowa City.
The application was submitted to operate their existing coated and laminated paper, NEC facility. The public comment period ends March 12.
Muscatine County
Gerdau, Inc. – 1500 West Third St., Wilton.
The application was submitted to operate their existing blast furnaces and steel mills facility. The public comment period ends March 5.
Palo Alto County
Ag Processing Inc. - Emmetsburg – 4739 380th St., Emmetsburg.
The application was submitted to operate their existing soybean oil mills facility. The public comment period ends March 5.
Winnebago County
Winnebago Industries, Inc. – Forest City – 605 W. Crystal Lake Road, Forest City.
The application was submitted to operate their existing motor homes facility. The public comment period ends March 5.
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 OR through the EASY Air Public Inquiry Portal and then click the Public Notice tab.
Des Moines County
Interstate Power and Light Company – Burlington Generating Station – 4282 Sullivan Slough Road, Burlington.
Project No. 21-256. Interstate Power and Light Company’s Burlington Generating Station produces and sells electricity. This project sets lower emission limits on nitrous oxides (NOx) in order for the facility to show no exceedances of the health-based ambient air quality standards for NOx. The public comment period runs from Feb. 4 – March 7. Requests for a public hearing must be submitted by Feb. 8
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