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DECORAH -- In a meeting marked by contract approvals and passionate public testimony, the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) convened Wednesday to conduct official business and hear from residents concerned about water quality monitoring, enforcement, and public safety following a recent fish kill in Winneshiek County. The hybrid-format session, held both online and at Hotel Winneshiek, began with routine approvals and officer elections before moving to more substantive matters, including multi-year contracts related to environmental monitoring and emergency response systems. Contracts Approved for Monitoring and Emergency Preparedness The commission unanimously approved several contracts with state and academic institutions aimed at strengthening Iowa's environmental data infrastructure. These included a three-year, $207,000-per-state-fiscal-year contract with Iowa State University for manure applicator training, and a $542,992 agreement with the State Hygienic Lab (SHL) at the University of Iowa to provide laboratory analysis for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Field Services Bureau. Commissioners also greenlit a two-year renewal with the University of Texas at Dallas to maintain access to the E-Plan hazardous materials database at $40,000 per year, serving more than 4,600 facilities and 240 emergency planners/first responders in Iowa. "It works best for us at a cost that we can reasonably afford compared to some of the other tools which are more expensive," Adam Broughton, a member of DNR's Emergency Response Group, said. A six-year, $301,500 contract with Windsor Solutions was approved to continue use of the SLEIS database, which tracks emissions from major air pollution sources. Nick Page, DNR Emissions Inventory Lead, noted the system's role in maintaining compliance with federal air reporting rules and highlighted the growing shift from coal to renewable energy sources in Iowa over the past two decades. Stream and Biological Monitoring Contracts Draw Public Focus Two monitoring contracts totaling more than $845,000 with the University of Iowa and SHL drew substantial public interest. The first, a six-month, $267,980 contract, covers ambient stream monitoring and is part of a broader realignment to move contracts to a calendar-year basis. "Ambient stream sampling is really the backbone of water quality monitoring and assessment," said Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Supervisor Mark Moeller, who presented on behalf of the absent Senior Environmental Specialist Ken Krier. He explained that the fixed-site program samples 60 locations monthly and is foundational for Iowa's Integrated Report of water quality, nutrient loading calculations, and policy decisions. Another $577,215 contract funds ambient biological monitoring, including fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assessments at approximately 100 sites. Residents voiced deep concern about the adequacy of the monitoring program, particularly in light of a recent fish kill along Decorah's Dry Run Creek. "We have 99 counties in Iowa, and we monitor water at 60 sites—not even one per county," said Melissa O'Rourke, a Decorah resident and former extension specialist with Iowa State University. "The dollars just aren't matching up." "The soil is dead. The water is 'shitty'. And the kids are sick," retired science teacher and resident Birgitta Meade stated, echoing O'Rourke's concerns. Fish Kill Spurs Outcry, Transparency Questions Though not on the official agenda, the March fish kill in Decorah dominated public discussion. Several speakers questioned the lack of public notice and transparency surrounding the incident. "Our six public drinking wellheads are right along the river, and we were never notified of this investigation except through a news story," Decorah City Manager Travis Goedken said, "Had we been notified, we could have been routinely tested, with our Karst topography, we could make sure that nothing was showing up more frequently than our monthly testing that we go through. We could have been reporting that information." Goedken clarified to EPC that his comments were not meant to be "adversarial", but rather, lamenting a breakdown in potential collaborative efforts, "Had we been notified," Goedken continued, "we could have made sure that this didn't become a public safety issue." Attendees criticized what they characterized as lax enforcement and insufficient monitoring capacity for manure run-offs. "This was at least his third violation in the last eight years," Attendee Tim Wagner said, calling on the commission to impose more serious consequences. "It could have been prevented this time." EPC Chair Mark Stutsman acknowledged the "sacrifice" attendees made to be at the meeting, and noted that he admired the passion they brought with their comments. He went on to explain as a point of reference, that the EPC's largest responsibility was to simply approve or deny contracts that the DNR places with them, "Those contracts by and large, [satisfy] either state or federal code, and they're presented to us in a way that fits their budget," Stutsman continued, "Now, your comments are helpful, as our staff and commissioners have a chance to advocate to state and federal legislators, to give us some idea of what's important. I wish we could do more, but it starts with the legislature, right? It really does." Commission Responds, Approves All Items The commission unanimously approved all contracts presented. Stutsman and Vice Chair Amy Echard reaffirmed the value of stakeholder input and expressed support for continued collaboration between the DNR, local communities, and state universities. The commission next meets June 17 in Des Moines.

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Iowa Environmental Protection Commission Grapples with Stream Monitoring, Water Quality Concerns at May Meeting