DES MOINES—Contracts, grants and proposed water rule changes are on the Environmental Protection Commission’s May 19 agenda.
Commissioners will meet by teleconference at 10:30 a.m. The meeting is open to the public via conference call by dialing 216-505-9946 and entering 208 540 651 # following the prompt. There is no scheduled public participation. Written comments may be submitted up to one day before the meeting to Jerah Sheets at Jerah.Sheets@dnr.iowa.gov or to DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319.
DNR will present information about the popular derelict building program, which is designed to remove environmental hazards, improve community appearance and minimize costs by recycling and reusing building materials. Generally, grants totaling $400,000 per year are available for rural communities of less than 5,000 residents to remove or renovate abandoned buildings.
Also up for approval, changes to drinking water and wastewater rules for delegation of construction permitting authority. The updates allow local public works departments and rural water systems to permit sewer and water main extensions. Changes to budget criteria used to evaluate water use annual fees and publishing public notices for water use permits are also up for approval.
Commissioners will be asked to approve the following contracts:
- University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory to collect water samples, fish and invertebrates; analyzing the samples to assist DNR in assessing the health of Iowa’s waters,
- Iowa Prison Industries to extend a contract to digitize oversize documents,
- Region XII Council of Governments in Carroll to audit participants in the Environmental Management System program, a voluntary program for solid waste planning areas that promotes environmental stewardship and continuous improvement.
- Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for a targeted watershed project in the Iowa Great Lakes.
The complete agenda follows:
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of the Minutes
- Monthly Reports
- Director’s Remarks
- Derelict Building Grant Program Overview
- Derelict Building Grant Program – Grant Recommendations
- Contract with the University of Iowa – Ambient Biological Assessment
- Adopted and Filed Rules: Chapters 9 and 50
- Contract Amendment #1 to Contract # 19ESDLQBACLARK-0001 with Iowa Prison Industries
- Contract Amendment # 4 to Contract 16ESDLQBGOLD1 with Region XII Council of Governments
- Contract with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for Iowa Great Lakes Targeted Watershed Project
- Final Rules: Air Quality Regulatory Certainty Rules Part 4 - Chapters 20, 22, 23, 25, 30, and 33
- General Discussion
- Items for Next Month’s Meeting
- June 16 at 10:30 a.m. – EPC Business Meeting – Location TBD
- July 21 at 10:30 a.m. – EPC Business Meeting – Location TBD
Find more information at https://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/Boards-Commissions.
Commissioners include: Ralph Lents, Menlo, chair; Harold Hommes, Windsor Heights, vice chair; Bob Sinclair, Sigourney, Secretary; Stephanie Dykshorn, Ireton; Amy Echard, Farmersburg; Lisa Gochenour, Logan; Rebecca Guinn, Bettendorf; and Howard Hill, Cambridge. Kayla Lyon is the DNR director.