DES MOINES—Commissioners will be asked to approve four final rules at the Jan. 19 meeting of the Environmental Protection Commission.
The business meeting starts at 10 a.m. in DNR’s conference room 2N, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines. The public can also attend via video conference or by phone. To join by video, connect with https://meet.google.com/rzo-uidn-tvg. To join by phone, call 631-618-4607, and enter the PIN code of 484 733 354 followed by the pound (#) sign. The meeting is open to the public. There is no scheduled public participation. Written comments may be submitted up to one day before the meeting to Alicia Plathe at Alicia.Plathe@dnr.iowa.gov or to DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319.
The meeting will be preceded by a 7:30 a.m. optional legislative meet and greet.
Four final rules are up for commissioner’s approval, including the first three rules that clean up existing rule language:
- Bring water supply rules in alignment with a 2020 legislative action that allows public works departments to retain professional engineers; puts more emphasis on construction of water mains; and clarifies well separation distances.
- Update wastewater definitions, add references to federal rules, correct mistakes, and simplify and clarify language.
- Update sewage sludge rules to clarify definitions, bring sewage sludge rules in alignment with federal laws, correct conversion amounts and simplify language.
- Amend rules to add a new classification grade for public wastewater treatment and water supply operators; clarify definitions, specify operator requirements and remove references to an obsolete grade.
In other action, commissioners will be asked to approve grant funding for a Mahaska County Environmental Management System to improve a drop-off recycling area.
Two proposed rule actions are also up for commissioners to approve. If approved, DNR will go forward with proposals:
- To provide the same standards for building new and replacement bridges in a floodplain.
- To revise state rules for cathode ray tube recycling by focusing on federal requirements recyclers must follow for proper storage and tracking of CRTs.
The agenda follows:
Approval of Agenda
Approval of the Minutes
Monthly Reports
Director’s Remarks
Environmental Management System Grant Proposal—Mahaska County Solid Waste Management Commission
Notice of Intended Action-Chapter 72—Floodplain Rules for Replacement Bridges
Notice of Intended Action-Chapter 567 IAC122—Cathode Ray Tube Recycling
Final Rule-Chapters 9, 40, 43, and 49—Water Supply Rule Cleanup and Modification
Final Rule-Chapters 60, 61, 62, 63, and 64—Wastewater Rule Cleanup and Modification
Final Rule-Chapter 67—Sewage Sludge Rule Cleanup
Final Rule-Chapter 81—Public Wastewater Treatment and Public Water Supply Operators
General Discussion
Items for Next Month’s Meeting
- Feb. 15—EPC Business Meeting
- March 15—EPC Business Meeting and State Hygienic Lab Tour
Find the complete agenda and more information under Environmental Protection Commission.
Commissioners include: Ralph Lents, Menlo, chair; Harold Hommes, Windsor Heights, vice chair; Stephanie Dykshorn, Ireton, secretary; Brad Bleam, Rockwell City; Rebecca Dostal, Traer; Amy Echard, Farmersburg; Patricia Foley, Huxley; Lisa Gochenour, Logan; and Mark Stutsman, Hills. Kayla Lyon is the DNR director.
Any person participating in the public meeting who has special requirements such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments should contact the DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.