August 21, 2009
DNR head gives Iowa a B-
Water, wildlife and air are a concern
OTHO - The huge metal buildings that house thousands of hogs, chickens and cows across Iowa can generate plenty of stench and regulators can do nothing about it, according to the head of the state's Department of Natural Resources.
''We are at an unacceptable status quo,'' Richard Leopold told about 25 people gathered at Dolliver Memorial State Park Thursday evening.
He said the solution to the problem will have to come from lawmakers, because his agency's power is limited in that area.
Leopold came to the park in Webster County on his second annual tour of DNR facilities and held a town hall meeting in its South Lodge. He presented a environmental report card that gives the state a grade of B- on issues related to clean air, clean water and wildlife.
He also fielded multiple questions about something many Iowans think fouls the state's air and water: animal feeding operations known as confinements.
The majority of livestock producers are doing all the right things to protect the environment, according to Leopold. He estimated that as few as 7 percent of the producers create problems.
A collection of rules, often called the master matrix, guides the process of determining where a confinement can be built. There's room for improving the matrix, Leopold said.
''They built this huge machine and not all of it works well,'' he said.
But he added that using a flawed matrix is better than operating without any regulations.
Scientific studies have shown that hydrogen sulfide and ammonia emanate from confinements, according to Leopold.
''I believe that there can be public health concerns that we should be watching for,'' he said.
A bid to give the DNR the power to regulate air pollution around confinements was killed in the state House of Representatives in 2003.
The state's budget crunch has complicated the effort to regulate confinements. Leopold said he had to reduce the number of workers who review manure management plans in order to ensure that there are enough inspectors in the field checking the sites.
''The choices I'm facing are bad, worse and horrible,'' the director said the of budget situation.
In addition to the manure management reviews, the DNR has reduced maintenance in state parks and cut back the Iowa Geological Survey which provides land and water information.
''We've looked everywhere we can to cut corners,'' he said. ''Any more general fund cuts and things start falling off the table.''
Next year, Iowa voters will pass judgment on a proposed constitutional amendment that would provide a dedicated source of money for environmental programs. According to Leopold, the amendment would reserve 3/8 of a cent from any future increase in the state sales tax for things like water quality and trails.
That constitutional amendment will be on the November 2010 ballot.
According to Leopold, an ''uneasy truce'' has quelled any discussion of expanding the state's bottle bill that establishes a 5-cent refund for drink cans and bottles that are returned for recycling. Two years ago, an attempt to alter the law fizzled in the legislature.
Applying the refund to water bottles ''would be a very good thing to do,'' the DNR director said.
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