tamatoledonews.com – WINDSOR HEIGHTS (SPECIAL) The Environmental Protection Commission will meet Feb. 15 to make several decisions about water quality protection, including the effect of geothermal installations, and the adoption of recent federal regulations to protect people from fine particle air pollution.

The DNR is proposing administrative rules for the geothermal drilling industry and seeks permission to continue the process. Special construction permit conditions and construction standards would be required to drill boreholes, and drillers would need to pass a specialty exam to be certified. Six public hearings would be held across the state before rules will be offered for adoption.

A decision is required for a contract with the University of Northern Iowa to gather input from a variety of stakeholders, including farmers and urbanites, on their awareness of runoff effects on Iowa’s rivers and lakes, their ideas for addressing these problems, and what they are willing to do to improve water resources over the next 10 years.

Commissioners will decide on a contract with Iowa State University to provide water quality information, educational materials, and workshops on best manure management practices for smaller open feedlot operations.

The DNR will ask commissioners to go forward with adopting recent federal regulations on fine particle air pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tightened the health-based standard for fine particle air pollution in 2006. The proposal lays out new rules that will apply to the largest sources of air pollution (power generation and industry). The proposal also includes adoption of new testing methods to measure the amount of fine particles emitted from any air pollution source. The proposed rules are an important building block in protecting sensitive populations (children, elderly and those with lung and heart diseases) from the effects of breathing fine particles.

The meeting begins at 10 a.m. at the DNR Air Quality Building, 7900 Hickman Road in Windsor Heights. Public participation is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

The complete agenda for the regular Feb. 15 meeting follows:

· Approval of Agenda

· Approval of Minutes

· Director’s Remarks

· Contract – Salem Associates for Application Maintenance and Enhancement Contract

· Contract – University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision-Making to Assist in the Development of Iowa’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan

· Contract – McFadden Environmental, Inc. and Trileaf Corporation

· Contract – The State Hygienic Laboratory for the Rathbun Water Quality Monitoring Program

· Contract Amendment – White Oak Lake Basin Structure with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Division of Soil Conservation and Contract for Small Feedlot project with Iowa State University

· Contract–Yellow River Headwaters Watershed Management Plan with Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District

· Contract – State Hygienic Laboratory – EPA TMDL Laboratory and Monitoring Services

· Notice of Intended Action – Proposed new rules and rule amendments

o New Rules, Chapter 48 – GHEX – Closed Loop Ground Heat Exchangers

o Amendments to Chapter 38 – Private Water Well Construction Permits

o Amendments to Chapter 39 – Requirements for Properly Plugging Abandoned Wells

o Amendments to Chapter 49 – Non Public Water Supply Wells

o Amendments to Chapter 82 – Well Contractor Certification

· Notice of Intended Action – Proposed rule amendments Chapters 20, 22, 25 and 33: Air Quality Program Rules – Prevention of Significant Deterioration for Fine Particulate Matter

· Monthly Reports

· General Discussion

· Items for Next Month’s Meeting

o March 15 – Windsor Heights

o April 19 – Windsor Heights

For more information about the meeting, visit www.iowadnr.gov/epc/index.html .

The members of the commission are Charlotte Hubbell, chair, Des Moines; Marty Stimson, vice-chair, Cedar Rapids; Lorna Puntillo, secretary, Sioux City; David Petty, Eldora; Susan Heathcote, Des Moines; Paul Johnson, Decorah; Eugene Ver Steeg, Inwood; Dee Bruemmer, Davenport; and John Glenn, Centerville. The director of the DNR is Roger L. Lande.