DES MOINES—Solid waste, wastewater and underground storage tanks are the topics of the Oct. 20 Environmental Protection Commission meeting.
Commissioners will meet by video conference at 9:30 a.m. To join by video, connect with https://meet.google.com/rqw-nksu-aak. To join by phone, call 216-505-9946, and enter the conference code of 208540651 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 Jerah Sheets at Jerah.Sheets@dnr.iowa.gov or to DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319.
Three contracts are up for commissioners’ approval:
- A contract for environmental management services to assist participating communities in meeting their goals to reduce waste, improve water quality, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and provide environmental education.
- A contract to begin Phase 2 of the Sustainable Materials Management—Vision for Iowa initiative, a stakeholder-led process designed to update the more than 30-year-old integrated solid waste management system, focusing on health and environmental impacts of materials over their life cycles.
- The third contract is with an environmental service company to conduct site visits, testing and fuel recovery at leaking underground storage tank sites, and to complete risk evaluation reports.
Two final rules are up for approval. Commissioners will be asked to approve a final rule renewing the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit number 5 authorizing wastewater discharge associated with mining and processing facilities.
Also up for approval is a final rule to renew the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit number 7 that authorizes discharges that leave residue from biological and chemical pesticide application to waters of the United States.
Commissioners will also be asked to approve going forward with a rule proposal on underground storage tank professional licensing and certification requirements, changes to technical standards including equipment inspections and testing, and updates to owner and operator responsibilities.
Find the complete agenda 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; Rebecca Dostal, Traer; Stephanie Dykshorn, Ireton; Amy Echard, Farmersburg; Lisa Gochenour, Logan; Rebecca Guinn, Bettendorf; and Howard Hill, Cambridge. Kayla Lyon is the DNR director.