More Bacteria Testing to be Done on Iowa Beaches KCRG – Cedar Rapids, April 11, 2004
Iowa plans to test more beaches for fecal bacteria this summer. For the past few years, the department of natural resources has checked only state-park beaches, such as Beed's Lake in Franklin County.
This year, 38 county beaches will be tested if local officials request it. That will result in the largest monitoring effort in state history.
And from the Iowa beach files . . .
Iowa Beaches Get A Mixed Review on Safety Iowa PIRG Press Release, July 24, 2002
Testing the Waters 2002 includes Iowa data for the first time. The report finds that Iowa had 454 closures and advisories among 35 beaches 2001.
Unfortunately in April of 2002, the IDNR modified its policy to stop monitoring for certain types of bacteria and to issue an advisory instead of a closing when swimming standards are exceeded. Therefore, Iowa has had a very limited number of closings and advisories this year (2002), but not necessarily because the water is any cleaner.
“The Legislature took an important step towards keeping our beaches clean when they passed the Livestock Bill in April,” said Amber Hard, Iowa Public Interest Research Group (Iowa PIRG) Advocate. “Unfortunately, this summer our waterways are only cleaner on paper. With so many swimming areas contaminated with bacteria last summer, we should be increasing, not decreasing testing, to see if the Legislature's efforts were successful.”
Blog For Iowa 
Starting a new Thread needs to be easier or more apparent, that being said, I will post this here as I don't know what else to do. I hope somehow it will make it on the main page.
Marcy Mattison of Cedar Rapids just posted a comment to the National Grassroots yahoo group regarding the financial collusion going on in the Iowa Statehouse that is keeping GOP senators & reps. from passing funding for education. I quote the following:
“Even though our state has a reputation for a terrific education system, it is being crippled by the double whammy of No Child and conservative stonewalling. Then this:
I recently spoke with a friend about her recent trip to Des Moines with the Cedar Rapids Jefferson students who had prepared a video in support of continued funding for education. They visited several representatives to
lobby for the Dem's education tax bill. The Republicans listened politely and for the most part, blew them off. A conversation with a Dem revealed one of the reasons: apparently every Republican who toes the line by opposing
ANY new taxes – no matter how vital to the state – will be rewarded from the GOP's deep pockets; break rank, and the funds go away. They are selling our state's future for their own gain. One or two have decided to take a stand
against the pressure: Mary Lundby (R – Marion) is one that I know of.
If you have any more information on this sell-out in the State house, please share it – more people have to hear about this.
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