DES MOINES – A lake restoration project and grants to counties for well testing are on the meeting agenda for the Oct. 16 Environmental Protection Commission.
Commissioners will consider a contract with the Polk County Conservation Board to improve water quality in Easter Lake. Reducing stormwater runoff, and sediment and phosphorus delivery are keys to success in the watershed.
In other action, commissioners will be asked to approve a contract allowing county health departments to provide free private well water testing. Local health departments can also use grant funds to improve qualifying wells, plug existing wells and educate well users.
The EPC will meet at 10 a.m. in Room 116 of the State Capitol, 1007 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines. The meeting is open to the public. At the discretion of the chairperson, requests to speak during the business meeting will be limited to comments that specifically address agenda items.
At 11 a.m., commissioners will consider referring Jon Goldsmith to the Attorney General for burning railroad ties near Sergeant Bluff.
Please submit requests to speak and written comments to Jerah Sheets at Jerah.Sheets@dnr.iowa.gov or 515-313-8909, or DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319 by noon the day before the meeting.
The complete agenda follows:
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of the Minutes
- Monthly Reports
- Acting Director’s Remarks
- Contract with Polk County Conservation Board – Easter Lake South Entrance Stabilization Project
- Contract with Iowa Department of Public Health
- 2019 EPC Meeting Dates
- Referral to the Attorney General – Jon Goldsmith
- General Discussion
- Items for Next Month’s Meeting
- Nov. 20 – EPC Business Meeting – Des Moines
- Dec. 18 – EPC Business Meeting – Des Moines
The complete agenda and item briefs are available on the DNR website.
Commissioners include: Ralph Lents, Menlo, chair; Joe Riding, Altoona, vice chair; Rebecca Guinn, Bettendorf, Secretary; Mary Boote, Des Moines; Nancy Couser, Nevada; Howard Hill, Cambridge; Harold Hommes, Windsor Heights; and Bob Sinclair, Sigourney. Bruce Trautman is the acting director of the DNR.