Press Release
Iowa Environmental Council
October 4, 2005
Contact: Lynn Laws
(515)244-1194, ext 13
lynnlaws@earthweshare.org
Public Support Needed to Adopt Improved Water Quality Standards
Iowa – Clean water and clean rivers and streams are critical to our
communities’ health and quality of life that we pass on to our children. The
Iowa Environmental Council is urging concerned citizens to support improvements
to Iowa’s Water Quality Standards, by attending a public hearing in their
community. Organized by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, these hearings
begin today in Atlantic and Cherokee and continue across the state, throughout
October. Individuals may also write to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
to provide comment.
The Federal Clean Water Act says that all waters of the United States must be
safe for recreation (human contact) and aquatic life. Yet current Iowa water
quality standards, which limit the amount of bacteria entering Iowa waters and
thus protect human health, are applied to only three percent of Iowa rivers and
streams. And only 17 percent of the state’s rivers and streams are protected by
standards that ensure livable conditions for fish and other important stream
life.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has proposed a set of rule
changes that are an attempt to rectify this – to do the right thing. These
changes will result in better protections for canoeists, anglers and children
wading in backyard streams, as well as fish and other important aquatic life.
Some organizations and public officials, who are concerned about the cost of
these changes and fear “unnecessary expense,” are organizing to oppose these
minimum water quality protections.
“Some fear the cost to improve Iowa waste water systems will far exceed the
benefits. They look at DNR’s worst case cost estimates and try to make a case
that Iowans cannot afford clean water. That’s just not true.” said Rich Leopold,
Executive Director of the Iowa Environmental Council.
“There are several ways federal law has provided remedies and financial
assistance to help minimize and spread the cost of water quality improvements
over as much as 20 years. There are low interest loans and new low-cost waste
treatment alternatives to assist with water quality improvements. The federal
Clean Water Act also allows consideration of costs on a site-specific basis and
ensures that water quality upgrades will not cause excessive financial hardship
to communities or businesses,” Leopold said.
Iowa voices are needed to make sure policy makers know you support CLEAN WATER
STANDARDS for Iowa. Written suggestions and comments can also be submitted
through Oct. 28, via mail, fax or e-mail. Send comments to: Mail: Adam
Schnieders, Iowa DNR; 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-0034. Fax: (515)
281-8895. E-mail:
adam.schnieders@dnr.state.ia.us.
For more information online, go to
www.iaenvironment.org. |
