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EPA seeks comment on IDNR’s response

The EPA is seeking public comment on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) response to EPA’s report on Iowa’s CAFO permitting and compliance program.

In July, EPA released a report outlining initial findings from its informal investigation of IDNR’s permit and compliance program for concentrated animal feeding operations.  Among other findings, EPA found that IDNR does not have an adequate program to assess whether unpermitted CAFOs need NPDES permits. 

EPA also found that in a number of cases involving Clean Water Act violations, IDNR failed to take timely and adequate enforcement actions and assess adequate penalties.

IDNR recently submitted its response to EPA, which outlines a number of actions to improve its animal feeding operations program.  The 30-day public comment period on IDNR’s response and proposed actions ends on October 17^th, 2012.

For more information, visit EPA’s Region 7 web site.