Antidegradation rulemaking update

This week, ABI Public Policy Director Jessica Harder testified at a DNR public hearing in support of the antidegradation notice of intended action DNR brought forward in response to ABI’s petition for rulemaking. Individual ABI member companies also spoke and submitted comments in support of the rule changes. Environmental activist organizations spoke in opposition to the clarification. ABI filed a petition with the League of Cities and the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities to clarify the rule after a district court case made the antidegradation procedure potentially much more burdensome and expensive for ABI members. The Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) has already unanimously approved the rule package, which will go forward to the Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC) on Tuesday, July 12.

Environmentalists, business leaders debate water quality rule (Des Moines Register)