Calendar of Events

Get in some outdoor time. Our Sierra Club Groups in Iowa regularly plan outings and other activities.  Select a Local Group in the My backyard dropdown menu and get details of the outings groups have planned.  

Learn more about how you can support protecting Iowa's wildlife and natural resources.

Sierra Club Annual Meeting

Saturday, October 1

The Iowa Sierra Club’s Annual Meeting and Dinner was held  on Saturday, October 1^st, in Coralville. Dr. Gene Takle, ISU professor of agricultural meteorology in the Department of Agronomy, discussed global climate change, extreme weather and its relationship to climate change and our weather's "new normal."

See more.

Volunteer Page

News about volunteer activities and upcoming projects.   Click here for more information.

News Releases

Read recent Sierra Club news releases.

Web Archives

Information that has been moved off the front page.

2012 Legislation

Are you interested in what is going on with our lawmakers in Des Moines? See the Legislation that is of interest to you, your environment, and your community. Find out more and respond to our action alerts.

Manure Spills and Fish Kills

Find out where the latest manure spill and/or fish kill occurred here...

Fish Advisories Posted

The Department of Natural Resources has posted fish consumption advisories for nine sites.  Find out where they are here...

Bypasses

Excess rainwater or snow melt need somewhere to go.  Often, the sewage bypasses a treatment plant thus preventing sewage from backing up into basements. Facilities are required to report bypasses caused by mechanical failures to the DNR within 12 hours of onset or discovery. Facilities do not have to immediately report bypasses from precipitation events, but must include them in their monthly operating report to the DNR.  Click here to see the most current information about your city's bypass history this year.

The Green Life

Tips for living well and doing good.

 DONATE TO THE IOWA CHAPTER

The Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club now accepts PayPal so you can help financially support Iowa Sierra Club's objectives for clean air, clean water and a cleaner environment.

You can also make a tax deductible donation to the Iowa Chapter.

NEWS 

Visit our Legislative page for updates on the bills we're tracking and to respond to our action alerts.

Missouri River Authority to Meet Feb. 3 in Des Moines

An update on flooding in western Iowa will be the highlight of the next meeting of the State Interagency Missouri River Authority (SIMRA) Feb. 3 in Des Moines.

Find out more.  

Legislators to Consider Resolutions Removing Lead Ammunition Ban in Dove Hunting

Iowa Legislators will soon vote on resolutions allowing the use of lead-based ammunition while hunting Mourning Doves, scrapping the Natural Resource Commission's language defined in Senate File 464.  Learn more and contact your legislators.

Group Formed to Educate on Hazards of Lead

A new Iowa nonprofit group has been formed to educate people about the hazards of lead poisoning for the health of both humans and wildlife. The “Lead is Poison Coalition” includes individuals and groups from the fields of conservation, human health, and community action.  Find out more.

State Dept. Announces Reevaluation of Keystone XL Tar Sand Pipeline

Washington, D.C. - The State Department announced November 10 that it is reevaluating the environmental review of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline project. The reevaluation will include consideration of rerouting the pipeline to avoid sensitive ecological areas in Nebraska. An alternative route would require a new environmental impact statement and would delay a final decision on the tar sands pipeline for as long as 18 months.  Find out more.

Triennial Review Draft Work Plan Now Available 

Earlier this year, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sought Iowans’ thoughts on improving the state’s water quality goals as the DNR conducted its every-three-years review of water quality standards. The triennial review process ensures water quality standards, as listed in Chapter 61 of the Iowa Administrative Code, are up-to-date. Iowans had the opportunity to attend meetings held across the state.

The meetings, part of the triennial review process set forth in the federal Clean Water Act, allow Iowans the opportunity to provide the DNR information to help in setting the goals for streams and rivers. Following the meetings, the DNR met with a technical advisory committee to evaluate the suggestions. The DNR then prioritized the issues identified in the comments and developed a work plan to address those items.

See the DRAFT Triennial Review Process Summary and Work Plan report.

More information, including the full text of Chapter 61, is also available at www.iowadnr.gov/water/uaa.html on the left side of the screen under “Iowa Administrative Code.”

If you have questions/comments about the DRAFT Triennial Review report, please contact Rochelle Cardinale by close of business, October 31, 2011.

Judge Rules Against Iowa Farm Bureau  

On October 13, Polk County District Judge Brad McCall ruled that the Iowa Environmental Council (IEC) would not be required to hand over internal emails concerning the antidegradation rules to the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and the Iowa Water Environment Association as part of the three organizations’ lawsuit against the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Commission. The Iowa Farm Bureau and the other organization sought the emails to determine if Susan Heathcote, IEC’s Water Program Director, had used her position as an Environmental Protection Commission member to push the rule’s passage. The judge ruled that Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and Iowa Water Environment Association had enough material from IEC to prepare their case. EPC and DNR filed a Motion for Summary Judgment asking that the case be decided in their favor without a trial. The judge ruled that Farm Bureau and its allies have until November 4, 2011, to file papers letting him know why the case should proceed to trial.  Read the ruling.

Clean Water Report Card

See how Iowa's delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives scored on Sierra Club's Clean Water Report Card.

American Meat Screenings Scheduled

The groundbreaking documentary American Meat, which chronicles America’s grassroots revolution in food, agriculture and sustainable farming, returns to Iowa for a series of screenings sponsored by the Future Farmers of America and Iowa State University.  Find out when and where it will be shown.

Branstad Appoints Dandekar to IUB

Sen. Swati Dandekar (D-Linn) has resigned her seat in the Iowa Senate to accept Gov. Terry Branstad's appointment to the Iowa Utilities Board.  See the Iowa Chapter reaction to the appointment.

Lend Your Voice to Iowa's Land, Water and Trails

It's always important to attend the regional REAP Assembly.  Your presence supports this excellent Iowa conservation Initiative.  Now, there's an added reason to attend:  there is a coordinated effort to disrupt the current funding formula for conservation programs.  

Please attend the assembly near you and voice your support for REAP and its current broad spectrum of conservation benefits.

Click here to see the full schedule.

Hyperion permit extension okayed

The South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment (BME) gave Hyperion Resources until March 2013 to begin construction on the tar sands oil refinery planned for southeastern South Dakota.  The BME also approved changes in the permit to reflect updated national air quality standards and new technology.  The original permit called for construction to begin in February 2011.  Opponents told the Associated Press they expect the board’s approval of the amended permit will be appealed to circuit court, where a judge is still presiding over an appeal from the original permit issued two years ago. 

ARRC Decides on Final Dove Hunting Rule

The Administrative Rules Review Committee decided August 16  to support the Natural Resource Commission's dove hunting rule, but to delay enactment of an amendment banning the use of lead shot until the legislature can take up the issue in 2012.  Find out more.

Bloomberg Philanthropies commits $50 million to Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign to move America toward cleaner energy

Grant a 'game changer' that will effectively retire one-third of the nation's aging coal fleet by 2020

On July 21, the Sierra Club announced a partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies that will effectively retire one-third of the nation's aging coal fleet by 2020, replacing it with clean energy. The partnership includes a $50 million commitment over four years to the Beyond Coal Campaign that will fuel the Sierra Club's effort to clean the air, end the coal era, and accelerate the transition to cleaner, cost-effective energy sources.

Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune was joined for the announcement by Michael R. Bloomberg. They appeared outside a coal-fired plant in Alexandria, Virginia.

Read the entire news release.


EPC Chair Says "There are Two Sides to Every Fact"

David Petty, the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) chair, scolded Glori Dei Filippone, a 13-year-old girl, for being a vegetarian at the June 2011 EPC meeting.  Petty also warned Glori to be sure to have her facts straight because "...there are two sides to every fact."  Glori made a presentation to the Commission after petitioning the Department of Natural Resources to enact rules to regulate greenhouse gases in Iowa.  The EPC voted down the petition.  See the video shot by Kent Newman of Full Spectrum Productions.

See Glori's presentation.

Iowan to Receive National Sierra Club Award

The Iowa Chapter just received notification that Jane Clark, Iowa's current chapter chair, has been selected to receive the Sierra Club’s 2011 Special Service Award. This national award honors a Sierra Club member for strong and consistent commitment to conservation or the Club over an extended period of time. Jane has been invited to be presented this award at a celebration to be held in San Francisco in September.

Congratulations to Jane for this well-deserved honor! We have many talented and dedicated people in our Chapter and hopefully she will be the first of several deserving Iowa Sierrans to be recognized.

Federal AQ Rule Still Applies Even After Branstad Rescinds Iowa Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed standards for hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from existing stationary diesel engines, also known as the Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) rules, in March 2010.  Affected facilities have until May 2013 to comply with the rule.  The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) presented a Notice of Intended Action to the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) to begin rulemaking at its May 2010 meeting.  The measure passed.  After a public comment period, the EPC passed the final rule in September 2010 and it became effective in February 2011.

On March 9, 2011, Senators Bartz, Johnson, Kettering, Hahn, Sodders, Behn, Ragan, Hamerlinck, Bacon, Kibbie, Gronstal, Schoenjahn, Rielly, Kapucian, Boettger, Feenstra, Beall, Chelgren, Hancock, Wilhelm, Seymour, Dandekar, McKinley, Ernst, Fraise and Sorenson introduced Senate Resolution 7 urging EPA to nullify RICE rules.  The resolution passed the Senate by a voice vote on April 7, 2011.

House Resolution 29 was introduced March 17, 2011, by Representatives Pettengill, Kaufmann, Sands, Smith, J., Alons, Iverson, Watts, Shaw, Heaton, Baudler, Tjepkes, Drake, Schultz, Baltimore, Byrnes, Horbach, Rasmussen, Soderberg, Grassley, Paustian, Dolecheck, Chambers, Vander Linden, Muhlbauer, Hein, Wittneben, Rayhons, Windschitl, Wenthe, Moore, Thomas, De Boef, Deyoe, Fry, Massie and Quirk.  House Resolution 29 replicated Senate Resolution 7.  The House had not acted on the Resolution as of June 29, 2011.

Gov. Terry Branstad issued Executive Order 72 on April 4, 2011, rescinding the Iowa rule Implementing RICE.  Branstad cited, among other things, that the standard “…imposes unnecessary and crippling costs on small Iowa municipal utilities,” that “…some Iowa municipal utilities have found that the unnecessary, increased regulatory burden could cost their consumers…” and that the “…standards may make it cost prohibitive for some utilities to maintain and operate emergency engines, jeopardizing the security of the national power grid…”   Gov. Branstad then sent a letter to Lisa Jackson, U.S. EPA Director on April 5, 2011, indicating his concerns.

On June 13, 2011, EPA Director Jackson responded to Gov. Branstad  indicating that the EPA would review Gov. Branstad’s letter, and comments submitted by Pat Stief, General Manager of the municipal utility in Traer, Iowa, and inform the governor of the EPA’s decision.  EPA will also post its decision on its website.

As a result of the Governor’s action, Iowa DNR no longer has full delegated authority for the RICE rule. The federal RICE rule remains in effect and EPA is still implementing the standard. The federal compliance date for most existing stationary diesel engines of May 3, 2013, remains in effect under federal regulation.¹

1 http://www.iowadnr.gov/air/prof/NESHAP/

Ask the Gov

Gov. Terry Branstad launched his weekly video initiative where he answers questions submitted via Twitter, Facebook, email and via his website.  Watch the governor's videos or send in a question.  See the video.

Dove Hunting Rules

The Natural Resources Commission (NRC)  approved at its April 2011 meeting adding Mourning Doves to Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 97 covering hunting seasons.  The rule went out for public comment which ended May 24, 2011.  The rule will come back to  the NRC for final approval at a future meeting.

Download, print and post a "No Hunting" sign to protest your opposition to dove hunting in Iowa.

The Department of Natural Resources released its preliminary 2010 impaired waters list -- the latest available -- in January 2011.  The list contains 446 water bodies with a total of 605 impairments.  The number of new impairments on the 2010 list total 97.  DNR accepted public comments from January 18 until March 4, 2011.  EPA approved DNR's 2008 Impaired Waters list in August 2010.

Read more here...

The Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club's members are approximately 5,000 of your friends and neighbors. Inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet. The Club is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.

Sierra Club® and "Explore, enjoy and protect the planet"® are registered trademarks of the Sierra Club. © 2008 Sierra Club. The Sierra Club Seal is a registered copyright, service mark, and trademark of the Sierra Club.

Last updated 01.26.2012

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