February 19, 2008

The Des Moines Register

DNR chief presses for bottle bill expansion
THOMAS BEAUMONT

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Richard Leopold insisted today Gov.
Chet Culver's proposal to expand Iowa's bottle deposit law had life, despite
majority Democrats saying it's unlikely to pass the Legislature.

"It's something that Governor Culver believes very strongly in," Leopold said at a Capitol press conference. "I would like to keep discussing this in the public forum. I really think the public wants it."

Culver, a Democrat, said last week he would continue to call for expanding the list of drink containers included in Iowa's 30-year-old recycling deposit law, even after leaders in the Democrat-controlled Legislature said they don't believe there is enough support to pass the measure.

Culver originally called for raising the state's nickel deposit on soft drink containers to a dime and expanding the list to include sports drink, water and juice bottles.

Culver was hoping to dedicate a penny of the higher deposit to finance an
environmental program and another penny to assist container redemption center operators.

But Culver last week said he would consider keeping the deposit at a nickel and dropping the two-cent provision, as long as lawmakers approved the expansion.

Leopold was joined at the event by representatives of the League of Women Voters, Sierra Club and redemption center operators, who support the expansion.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Council Bluffs Democrat, said last week it was unlikely expanding the number of containers would receive support from a majority in either the House or Senate.

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