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EPA confirms additions to Iowa impaired waters list

on Tue, 01/14/2025 - 21:17   by Anonymous

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
January 13, 2025

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency affirmed its November decision to add seven additional segments to Iowa’s list of impaired waters, following a public comment period. 

EPA announced in November it had partially approved the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ assessment of surface water quality in the state and called for the inclusion of additional segments on the Cedar, Des Moines, Iowa and South Skunk rivers, based on measured levels of nitrate.

Per EPA documentation, a vast majority of the public comments submitted were in favor of the EPA decision. DNR, which monitors and compiles the impaired waters list every two years, per the Clean Water Act, called EPA’s assessment “illegal” since nitrate is not officially listed as a “toxic pollutant” under the Clean Water Act.

Group issues scathing report on EPA, states' efforts to reduce nutrient pollution of Mississippi River; cites 2015 'close call' involving QC water supply

on Thu, 11/17/2016 - 21:04   by Editor

Voluntary initiatives by the U.S. EPA and 10 states bordering the Mississippi over the past 20 years have largely failed to rein in harmful nitrogen and phosphorus pollution by cities, farms and industry, according to a scathing report issued today (11/17) by an environmental and legal group focused on protecting the Mississippi River watershed.

"Though the EPA has consistently and emphatically urged states to take measures to combat nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, its encouragement has come without enforceable regulations, specific deadlines or funding for implementation," the report by the Mississippi River Collaborative says. "Not surprisingly, the problem persists, especially in the Mississippi River, despite a variety of Clean Water Act tools and viable regulatory options available to states."

The analysis of nutrient pollution of lakes, rivers and streams in the Mississippi River watershed – entitled "Decades of Delay" – says the 10 states bordering the country's longest river have failed to establish any numeric limits for nitrogen discharges and only two states have set numeric limits for phosphorus pollution.

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