Once again, Iowa got its report card for pollution in its rivers and lakes, and the news wasn’t good.
According to a Department of Natural Resources draft report, more than half of Iowa’s rivers and lakes are “impaired,” to use the more clinical word to describe the state of our waterways. “Polluted” would be the more accurate term.
A total of 594 water bodies were impaired and in need of remediation. Of our rivers, 56% were in that category; a full 67% of lakes and reservoirs are.
Another 157 water bodies were deemed impaired but an improvement plan isn’t required, or one has already been completed. Only 48 water bodies were de-listed.
This is an embarrassment, and it doesn’t get the attention it deserves from policymakers. But, why would it? When you’re trying to lure people and industry to the state, you’re not going to tell them your waters are fouled.
It matters, though. We guarantee you that people care.
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For a state that supposedly is trying to boost its competitiveness, this is one area it has overlooked.
To get on the impaired list means that waterways don’t meet water quality standards for their intended use, whether it be recreation, drinking, fishing, etc.
This isn’t a new problem, of course. Every two years, the DNR issues this report and it looks much the same.
Bacteria is the biggest factor cited across the state for streams and rivers, followed by fish kills. Animal waste is a big culprit in this area. And regulation, environmentalists say, is too forgiving.
Algae blooms are a big culprit for lakes and reservoirs.
Fixing this problem is an expensive proposition, too, and Iowans know it. Twelve years ago, more than 60% of voters approved a constitutional amendment to create a trust fund to pay for improvements to water quality and recreation.
At the time, people were told it would mean an increase in the sales tax. But since then, state lawmakers have ignored the voters and failed to act, even as a broad coalition of interests have pushed for them to do so.
The trust fund, and an increase in the sales tax to fund it, remain popular. Two years ago, a Des Moines Register poll said that 57% of Iowans backed the increase, while only 37% opposed.
Yet, lawmakers do next to nothing.
A few years ago, the Legislature devoted some funding to water quality, but all agreed it was wholly insufficient to the task.
Unfortunately, this year’s Legislature made it tougher to fix the problem. The recently approved revamp to the state’s tax system will drain the state of a lot of resources that could have gone to help.
In some parts of the state, people are willing to take this on. Polk County voters approved a bond referendum last year to pay for water quality and recreation projects. And most of Dubuque County voters also cast ballots in favor of a similar effort. (But because 60% approval was required, the referendum failed in Dubuque. Still, you can see voters there care about water quality.)
We think most Iowans care about the state’s rivers and lakes. And we think the next time that people see their state lawmaker they ought to simply ask this: Do you care that more than half of Iowa’s waterways are impaired. Then, follow it up with this: Why aren’t you doing anything about it?
These kinds of report cards shouldn’t be shrugged off. If Iowa’s schoolkids brought these grades home, they’d have to stay after class. Or repeat a grade. We think Iowa legislators should be held to the same standard.
Iowa should fix this problem for no other reason than because the people who live here deserve it. But policymakers also ought to realize if they’re going to truly compete for people and business, for tourism and growth, they must act as well. It is far past time for Iowa to get serious and clean up its rivers and lakes.
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Originally Appeared Here