Des Moines, Iowa –

The Administrative Rules & Review Committee (ARRC) should vote
during their September 14 meeting to block the implementation of a new
rule proposed by Governor Chet Culver’s
Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) that would carve out a five
year loophole for factory farm operators to continue spreading liquid
manure on snow and frozen covered ground, Iowa Citizens for Community
Improvement (Iowa CCI) members said Monday.

On July 20, with only 5 of the 8 commissioners present, the EPC voted
5-0 to gut a state environmental law protecting Iowa’s water from factory farm pollution
by carving out a five-year loophole in the law that would allow factory
farm operators to claim inadequate manure storage as an emergency
exemption to the manure on snow ban. 

ARRC will review proposed rule change at its 9:30am meeting on Tuesday, September 14 in Room 116 of the state capitol. 

“The proposed rule is a clear-cut violation of the federal Clean
Water Act because it would lead directly to more factory farm manure in
our water,” said Kevin Shilling, an Iowa CCI member from Greenfield. 
“ARRC needs to stand up, do the right thing, and block the
implementation of this bad rule.”

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wrote a letter to the Iowa Department of Natural ResourcesFebruary 23 that clearly states that any proposed emergency exemption would violate the Clean Water Act:   (DNR) dated

“A CAFO…that has a discharge due to application on frozen ground
would be in violation of Section 301(a) of the CWA and subject to
enforcement action.  There is no emergency exemption in the CWA…and
compliance with Iowa Code 459.313A would not shield the producer from
CWA liability.”

The first gubernatorial debate between Governor Chet Culver and his Republican challenger, former Governor Terry Branstad,
is scheduled for September 14, the same day as ARRC’s vote.  Iowa CCI
members will attend the ARRC meeting to speak out against the proposed
rule change and demand that ARRC block implementation of the rule.

“We don’t need streamlined regulations, we need stronger
regulations,” said Hugh Espey, Iowa CCI’s Executive Director.  “The
people of Iowa don’t want a government that kowtows to corporate ag.  We
want a government that will put people before profits, stand up for
clean air and clean water, and crack down on factory farm polluters. 
We’re expecting the candidates to address these issues during their
televised debates so that voters can make an informed decision.”

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is a group of everyday people who talk, act and get things done on issues that matter
most. With thousands of members from all walks of life — urban and
rural, black and white, immigrants and lifelong Iowans — CCI has been
tackling tough issues and getting things done for more than 35 years. 

For more information about Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, visit www.iowacci.org