DES MOINES, IOWA (February 13, 2019) — On Tuesday, February 19, at 10:00AM, the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) will entertain arguments and public statements to make their final decision on a rule-making petition to implement numeric nutrient criteria for Iowa's recreational lakes.
The petition, filed in November 2018 by the Iowa Environmental Council (IEC) and the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), requests the state adopt numeric limits for nitrogen and phosphorus pollution as recommended more than decade ago by a group of scientific advisers convened by the DNR.
These nutrient limits establish protective thresholds for the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus to allow for the safe use of Iowa's recreational lakes, some of which are also designated for drinking water use. Algae blooms shutter dozens of Iowa beaches each summer, which are a significant revenue generator for the state, bringing in approximately $1B of direct spending annually. These algae blooms can also potentially cause the release of toxic microcystin, which can threaten the health of humans and animals.
What: Numeric Water Quality Standards for Nutrients in Significant Public Recreational Lakes in Iowa
Where: EPC Meeting Wallace State Office Building — Auditorium 502 E 9th St Des Moines, IA
When: Tuesday, February 19 at 10:00AM.
Agenda (times are approximate):
10:00AM — Meeting is called to order 10:05AM — Petitioner (IEC and ELPC) statements 10:20AM — Public comments in support of the rulemaking petition 10:35AM — Public comments in opposition of the rulemaking petition 10:50AM — Public comments neutral on the rulemaking petition 11:05AM — DNR recommendation on rulemaking petition 11:30AM — EPC makes ruling
Press is invited to attend the meeting. IEC Water Program Director Cindy Lane and ELPC Senior Attorney Josh Mandelbaum will be available for interviews on-site.
