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Sunday, February 19
IOWA'S WATER WOES
by
Molly Regan
on Sun 19 Feb 2006 04:00 AM CST
 IOWA'S WATER WOES
Last Sunday, February 12th, the headlines of the Des Moines Register read: 'NO CLEAR SOLUTIONS TO STATE'S TAINTED WATER'
This article by Perry Beeman/Register staff writer goes on to say that
recreation and more businesses would come to the state if we had better
water quality.
"Many IOWA rivers are seriously polluted - dying before their time- and
environmental rules that would force a massive new cleanup effort
promise to affect IOWAN's pocketbooks, river outings and fishing trips…
"Rules passed in January by state environmental regulators - after
eight years of debate - set new limits on pollutants such as bacteria,
which can threaten the health of people and animals; and AMMONIA, WHICH
IS TOXIC TO FISH AND AQUATIC PLANTS…
"…state lawmakers began discussing a bill that would block the
changes. The rules come THREE DECADES AFTER THE 1972 FEDERAL
CLEAN WATER ACT DEMANDED THAT ALL RIVERS BE PROTECTED FOR RECREATION
AND AQUATIC LIFE, UNLESS STUDIES SHOW THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. Since that act became law, IOWA has bowed to pressure from city
sewage-treatment operators who maintained the changes would cost too
much. Consequently, the state IS ONE OF THE LAST IN THE NATION to
protect waters so they are 'fishable and swimmable,' as required."
As we can all surmise, attaining cleaner water will take time, new
ideas, and MONEY. "…90 % OF THE POLLUTION IS COMING FROM FARMS
AND YARDS UNREGULATED BY THE NEW RULES….
"…'ignoring this duty is not an option', IOWA DNR DIRECTOR JEFF VONK wrote to lawmakers last month before the legislative session began.
"THE RULES WOULD AFFECT ANIMAL CONFINEMENTS AND FEEDLOTS, SOME OF WHICH
FACE LEGAL ACTIONS FOR FISH KILLS AND STREAM POLLUTION THAT OCCURRED
DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, VONK SAID. The rules would not
affect grain farms and other agriculture operations…"
SUSAN HEATHCOTE is one of nine appointed by the governor to sit on
the state's ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION. She " began
pushing the state eight years ago to revise its standards to comply
with the Clean Water Act, the linchpin of the Federal government's
river-cleaning apparatus."
It will take an act of our state legislature to start to fix
this. Maybe federal grants can be obtained. So start with
your legislator to insure the state of IOWA starts to uphold the Clean
Water Act. In Eastern IOWA, you can contact SENATOR FRANK WOOD,
D-ELDRIDGE at frank.wood@legis.state.ia.us or he can be called at
515-281-3371. Senator Wood is co-chair of the Senate
sub-committee that is debating Senate Study Bill 3069. It
proposes to block most of the new rules. Also co-chairing is
Senator Mary Lundby, R-Marion, who can be contacted at mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us
To view the entire bill, go to www.legis.state.ia.us
For information on the rules approved by the IOWA Environmental Protection Commission, see www.iowadnr.com
If you would like to read the entire Des Moines Register article, see www.DesMoinesRegister.com
Now don't forget …and remind your loved ones, too… CPR:
CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE
Sunday, February 12
SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY: Global Climate Change
by
Linda Thieman
on Sun 12 Feb 2006 07:00 AM CST
 SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY: Global Climate Change
by Molly Regan
Although
“Slip Slidin’ Away” is the title of a great song by one of my top three
all-time favorite singers, Paul Simon, it also describes the current
conditions of most glaciers. Not necessarily directly related to
IOWA now, it could be, someday soon.
This
past Friday, February 10th, on Public Radio’s “Science Friday,” the
discussion was about MARK BOWEN’s newest book. It is called ‘THIN ICE: UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF CLIMATE IN THE WORLD’S HIGHEST MOUNTAINS.'
This
writing is about what has been happening to the world’s glaciers.
It is an account of Bowen’s adventures in researching the ice of
tropical mountains as he follows climber Lonnie Thompson. The
inside flap of the book states:
“While
mainstream science has focused on polar ice to find clues about climate
change, Lonnie Thompson has been risking his career and life on the
highest and most remote ice caps along the equator. In the
process he has changed the science of climatology.
“The
idea guiding Thompson’s research is deceptively simple: climate is
about energy flow and because the sun’s heat enters the atmosphere at
the lower latitudes of the tropics, it follows that the equator’s
mountain glaciers are the ideal place from which to map the course of
climate change. Layers of snow that have been laid down year by year
can be read like tree rings, providing detailed information about
climate history reaching back 750,000 years….
“Scientist
and expert climber Mark Bowen joined Thompson’s crew on several
expeditions, including an eye-opening ascent in East Africa that
revealed why the snows of KILIMANJARO will be gone in fifteen years….
“Exciting
and brilliantly detailed, THIN ICE explains what Thompson’s hard-won
data tell us about climate systems that have long perplexed the
scientific community. Even more important, we learn what the
equatorial ice reveals about global warming and the Earth’s probable
future.” (Copyright 2005/Henry Holt and Company). See also www.sciencefriday.com
Though I
haven’t read this book yet, it sounds intriguing. An adventure
that I will never be able to go on, but I am glad others have. Global
repercussions do seem to be at hand, and maybe this book will wake up
those who can help stop the trend.
Please become involved in your local civic functions. Now is the time. We can all benefit from your ideas.
And, don’t forget to CPR… CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE
Sunday, February 5
EPA SAYS ALL IS FORGIVEN FOR SOME ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIORS' AIR POLLUTION SINS
by
Molly Regan
on Sun 05 Feb 2006 02:00 PM CST
 EPA SAYS ALL IS FORGIVEN FOR SOME ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIORS' AIR POLLUTION SINS
This week's IOWA Public TV program "Market To Market" just reported:
"In what's being hailed as a major step forward, the US Environmental
Protection Agency kicked off a landmark program this week that will be
used to determine AIR EMISSION LEVELS near various types of Animal
Feeding Operations or AFOs. When the program is in full swing, an
INDEPENDENT air monitoring company will check the levels of AMMONIA AND
HYDROGEN SULFIDE found in the air around 6,700 farms in 42 states.
"The data will be used in the formulation of AGRICULTURE AIR QUALITY
RULES. Participating farmers receive an AMNESTY of sorts WHERE ALL
THEIR PREVIOUS VIOLATIONS OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT ARE FORGIVEN! THE
AMNESTY DOES NOT MAKE THEM EXEMPT FROM ANY FUTURE VIOLATIONS OF
FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL POLLUTION LAWS.
"In exchange, operators agree to ABIDE BY THE RULES OF THE CLEAN AIR
ACT, PAY $2,500 INTO A FUND FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING, AND INSTALL THE
BEST AVAILABLE POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY.
"Officials with THE SIERRA CLUB stated that the program gives farmers a
free ride on the backs of the public. Pro-industry groups like
the National Pork Producers Council released a statement lauding the
study for its use of 'sound science'(?) to develop practical policies
for pork producers. The project is expected to take 4 years with
2 being devoted to the study of AIR QUALITY, and 2 more spent
developing new rules." End quote…
So, this is a nifty break for livestock producers. Some of them
who have not followed the rules are now being rewarded with a
declaration of amnesty! How special. I don't know for certain who
is hailing this as a "major step", but I can guess. Let's see,
humh, maybe corporate livestock farmers and those with a large number
of animal units (over 1000 units) are happy about this.
And here is that overused bogus term again "sound science." What
is meant by that is scientists will be sought out who agree with the
EPA. So don't remain silent on this. Let the EPA know that
POLLUTERS NEED TO PAY. CITIZENS ARE NOT THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR
FARM OR CORPORATE CLEANUPS.
Let us not forget also to CPR… CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE
Wednesday, February 1
Reprocessing Is Not the “Solution” to the Nuclear Waste Problem
by
Caroline Vernon
on Wed 01 Feb 2006 04:01 PM CST
 Reprocessing Is Not the “Solution”
to the Nuclear Waste Problem
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
This program is central to the Bush administration’s efforts to jump-start the moribund nuclear power industry.
Statement of Mary Olson, NIRS Campaign to Stop Reprocessing. Director of NIRS southeast office:
“[George W.] Bush’s misguided obsession with nuclear power has reached a critical and dangerous juncture. The administration has been desperate to find a nuclear waste solution in order to resuscitate the moribund and unpopular nuclear power industry by moving forward quickly on the scientifically-flawed Yucca Mountain waste dump in Nevada. Instead it has found itself spinning its wheels in the mire of Yucca Mountain’s geologic instability and the scandal of covering up these data. Faced with an industry impatient to move its on-site waste, the administration is now clutching at a new nuclear straw."
“Its latest scheme is reprocessing of irradiated commercial fuel, one of the dirtiest and most proliferation-vulnerable processes in the nuclear fuel chain. Abandoned in this country for more than 30 years, countries where it has been done – including Britain, France and Russia – are now reaping its hideous environmental legacy of contamination and disease."
“The price tag in dollars – as well as in health impacts – will be enormous if this country is allowed to venture back down the reprocessing road. The only U.S. commercial reprocessing site ever to operate - in West Valley, New York – is projected to cost more than $5 billion to clean up despite reprocessing only a fraction of the waste sent there between 1966 and 1972. Now Congress has awarded the U.S. Department of Energy $50 million of our money to set this debacle in motion once again although the totals are likely to reach the hundreds of billions of dollars."
“The existing nuclear reactors around the globe are already sitting-duck terrorist targets. Separating plutonium from nuclear power waste fuel – as reprocessing does – simply sets up new and inviting opportunities for terrorists to seize fissile, bomb-capable materials. Support for a reprocessing program makes a mockery of statements coming out of this administration that protecting the American people from terrorism is paramount. Instead, it will put more Americans in harm’s way.”
Reprocessing Is Not the “Solution” to the Nuclear Waste Problem
The Radioactive Waste Burden
Splitting atoms to make electricity has created an enormous problem: waste containing 95% of the toxic radioactivity produced during the Atomic Age. Nuclear weapons production, industrial activity, research and medicine combined, create only 5% of this problem.
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