DES MOINES --- A sweeping rewrite of Iowa's livestock regulations
backed by environmental groups but opposed by agricultural interests
faces a rocky road in the Iowa House.
The bill must gain approval in the House by the end of next week to stay alive this session.
The
measure has cleared the House Environmental Protection Committee, but
the House Agriculture Committee will take a closer look at the measure
as the deadline approaches.
Rep. Mark Kuhn, D-Charles City, one
of the bill's main sponsors, wants to make sure it is given further
consideration. But he fears a subcommittee assigned to consider the
bill is stacked with opponents.
"It appears the bill has been assigned to a 'kill' committee," Kuhn
said, noting that by his count, four out of five members on the
subcommittee have said they are against new livestock regulations.
The
bill that cleared the Environmental Protection Committee increases
separation distances between new livestock confinement facilities and
homes, churches, schools, businesses, public use areas and water
sources. New protections also would be extended to tourist sites and
planned housing developments.
"We were given the task of doing
something that both allowed the industry to grow and protected
neighbors and gave neighbors some rights, so it's a tough call. It's a
hard thing to do," Kuhn said.
Smaller livestock confinements would have to obtain construction permits, as larger confinements are required to do now.
House
Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, said leaders have asked the agriculture
committee to look at the bill and sit down with people that "probably
weren't as engaged as they should have been" when it was being
considered by the Environmental Protection Committee.
"The big part I'm looking at is, what bill can I get that will get 51 votes?" Murphy said.
Rep.
Delores Mertz, D-Ottosen, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee,
said she wants to find some consensus between environmental groups and
the livestock industry.
"My passion is agriculture, and I will not do anything to hurt that industry," said Mertz, a livestock farmer.
Rep. Mike Reasoner, D-Creston, is on the subcommittee and said no public meeting had yet been scheduled.
He
said members want to make sure they understand the bill's implications
and give both agricultural and environmental interests a chance to
respond.
"The fact that we're addressing air and water quality
concerns, that's a good thing. But we need to make sure we understand
the outcome of any legislation, and so my nature is to proceed
cautiously," Reasoner said.
Nathaniel Baer, a lobbyist and
advocate for Environment Iowa, said he is disappointed the bill is
assigned to a subcommittee that includes what he believes are opponents
to livestock regulations.
"We just don't see urgency from the subcommittee to tackle this," Baer said.
He said Democrats campaigned last year on the idea of improving Iowa's air and water quality.
"We
were optimistic that a bill to really improve state standards for air
and water quality would have the support of both leadership and
rank-and-file members," Baer said.
Chris Gruenhagen, an attorney
for Iowa Farm Bureau, said the bill reduces the amount of land
available for livestock producers to expand.
"I think our members view the bill as very punitive to the livestock industry," Gruenhagen said.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association also is opposed to the bill, said Jeff Schnell, public policy director.
"We don't see anything in this bill that does anything to improve water quality," Schnell said.
