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Waterways still at risk from hog lots

Reforming industrial livestock confinements

This summer, Environment Iowa continued to amass public support for protecting our streams, rivers and lakes from pollution from the industrial livestock industry. Our staff knocked on tens of thousands of doors, educating and engaging Iowans about the problem. Collecting thousands of signatures calling on Gov. Culver, our staff, members and activists urged the governor to live up to his campaign promise to address the critical environmental harms caused by hog and other livestock confinements.

Iowa’s natural treasures at stake

Iowa’s lakes, streams and rivers are an important part of our quality of life. But the recent explosion of the livestock industry is threatening our waterways. Factory farms too close to our lakes, rivers and parks can cause fish kills, beach closings and chronic pollution problems.

State rules fail to address pollution

A recent Environment Iowa Research & Policy Center report, “Failures of the Master Matrix,” highlights the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) rules for permitting only the largest livestock confinements, called the master matrix, have not solved resulting water and air quality problems. The passing score of 50 percent is far too easy to obtain and does not require that applicants answer all the questions—only a few of the 272 applications have failed to pass over the past five years. Most applicants skip the questions and the practices in the matrix intended to protect our air, water and nearby communities. For example, no applicant has agreed to construct an emergency containment area to contain manure spills that would help prevent fish kills.

Calling on Gov. Culver

After passing through the relevant committees last session, the full Legislature did not vote on a bill that would have bolstered protections on waterways, parks, schools and churches; fixed the failed state permitting rules; and allowed counties to have a say in decisions on citing livestock confinements. Environment Iowa is calling on Gov. Culver to issue an executive order or sponsor a bill to enact these three solutions.
 

Rain caused this confinement’s waste pit (left) to overflow into a river’s floodwaters.