Posted September 17, 2013
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) have reached an agreement for changes to
Iowa’s Clean Water Act (CWA) permit and compliance program for concentrated
animal feeding operations (CAFOs), according to the EPA press release,
available here.
Karl Brooks, EPA regional administrator said, “This
agreement, developed after extensive public and industry input commits IDNR to
making needed and achievable improvements to the system that keeps CAFOs
compliant with the CWA. Iowans who
operate a world-class livestock sector will continue to thrive in a first-rate
permitting and inspection program.”
EPA’s investigation of Iowa’s permit and compliance
program for CAFOs was “carried out in response to a petition for withdrawal of
the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program
authorization from IDNR that was filed in 2007” by the Iowa Citizens for
Community Improvement, Sierra Club, and the Environmental Integrity
Project. Federal regulations allow
interested parties to file “petitions when they are concerned that a state is
not meeting the minimum NPDES program requirements.”
According to a Des Moines Register article, available here,
provisions of the agreement will: change provisions of Iowa’s CAFO rules, so
Iowa law is consistent with the CWA; conduct a comprehensive survey of all
large CAFOs and medium-sized AFOs that currently don’t have CWA wastewater
discharge permits, and identify those failing to comply with the CWA; conduct
on-site inspections as circumstances allow; inspect all permitted AFOs within
five years following an inspection procedure; issue timely wastewater discharge
permits to qualifying AFOs; and take timely and appropriate enforcement action
when needed.
Iowa DNR Director, Chuck Gipp, said that this agreement
“clarifies program implementation and is a reflection of Iowans working
together on a common-sense solution that will encourage best practices and
promote open communication between affected Iowans and the DNR.”
