Environment (Water Quality) in Iowa

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2026

HF 2419: A bill for an act regulating animal feeding operations, including rulemaking requirements, and making penalties applicable.

This bill (HF 2419) regulates animal feeding operations (AFOs) in Iowa, directly affecting large livestock facilities like confinement feeding operations and open feedlots. It requires the Environmental Protection Commission to establish rules for manure management, permitting, and water quality standards, while ensuring state rules don’t exceed federal requirements except where needed to protect water quality. Key provisions include mandating compliance with federal NPDES permit standards for AFOs and allowing stricter state rules for manure storage, treatment, and application when necessary. The bill also clarifies that rules adopted under this law are exempt from certain state rule review processes. These changes aim to balance federal water pollution controls with Iowa’s specific water quality needs.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SF 2269: A bill for an act appropriating moneys to Iowa state university of science and technology for use by the Iowa nutrient research center in supporting the Iowa water quality information systems.

This bill appropriates $500,000 from Iowa's water quality infrastructure fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to Iowa State University of Science and Technology. The funds will support the Iowa Nutrient Research Center in administering the Iowa Water Quality Information Systems, specifically using sensor technology to collect data on nutrient impacts. The primary purpose is to monitor how nutrients affect the state's surface waters, including rivers and lakes. This directly affects the data collection and monitoring capabilities of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and the state's water quality management efforts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Water Quality Data Privacy

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2026

HF 2425: A bill for an act appropriating moneys to Iowa state university of science and technology for use by the Iowa nutrient research center in supporting the Iowa water quality information systems.

This bill appropriates $250,000 from Iowa's general fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to Iowa State University of Science and Technology. The funds will support the Iowa Nutrient Research Center in operating the Iowa Water Quality Information Systems. Specifically, the money will be used to deploy sensors that collect data on nutrient levels in the state's surface waters. This directly affects water quality management efforts across Iowa, providing data to track how agricultural and other nutrient sources impact rivers and lakes.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics State Budget Water Quality

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SF 2266: A bill for an act relating to clean water monitoring by requiring agencies to publish disaggregated data, including data associated with contributions by nonpoint sources.

SF 2266 requires Iowa's Department of Natural Resources and the Division of Soil Conservation and Water Quality to publish disaggregated water quality data online, specifically showing contributions from nonpoint sources like agricultural runoff to designated water bodies. This affects agricultural landowners and operators near water sources, as the bill removes confidentiality protections for data identifying their operations that contribute to water quality issues. The key mechanism mandates agencies to break down aggregated monitoring data into detailed reports by water classification, updating these publicly on a shared website. This change makes previously confidential data about farm-related water pollution contributions publicly accessible.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Conservation Water Quality

introduced · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 2530: A bill for an act requiring the department of natural resources to identify specific animal sources of pollutants to a water of the state when determining the water’s inclusion on a list of impaired waters.

HF 2530 requires Iowa's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to identify specific animal sources contributing to fecal bacteria pollution before listing a water body as impaired under federal Clean Water Act rules. If fecal bacteria levels cause a water body to be considered impaired, the DNR must conduct microbial source tracking to determine the percentage contribution from each animal species (e.g., livestock, wildlife, pets) responsible for the pollution. This change applies specifically to waters listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, which governs state water quality standards and impairment listings. The bill mandates this analysis as a prerequisite for inclusion on the state's impaired waters list, ensuring more precise identification of pollution sources.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality Wildlife

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SF 2270: A bill for an act regulating animal feeding operations, including rulemaking requirements, and making penalties applicable.

SF 2270 requires Iowa to establish state rules for animal feeding operations (AFOs), such as large livestock facilities, to manage manure handling, prevent water pollution, and protect water quality. These rules must meet federal water pollution standards as a minimum but can be stricter if needed to ensure Iowa's water bodies meet quality requirements. The bill applies to all AFOs defined under state law - including confinement operations (e.g., barns) and open feedlots (e.g., pastures) - that confine animals for 45 days or more in a 12-month period. It also includes penalty provisions for non-compliance, though specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SF 2265: A bill for an act relating to water quality standards, including by providing for the regulation of animal feeding operations, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.

SF 2265 establishes new regulations for animal feeding operations (AFOs) in Iowa to protect water quality. It directly affects medium and large livestock farms (defined by federal standards) by requiring them to obtain federal-style NPDES permits for managing manure and waste runoff. Key provisions include mandating permit requirements for these operations, setting rules for manure storage and application, and defining terms like "effluent" to cover manure, bedding, and other pollution sources. The bill aligns with federal water pollution laws but adds state-specific requirements for AFO management.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SF 2377: A bill for an act relating to public accessibility to water sample data.

This bill requires Iowa's Department of Natural Resources to create a searchable online database of public water sample data. The database must allow users to filter results by contaminant type (including nitrates), location, water supply system, and sampling date. It mandates that all water testing results from public water systems be publicly accessible in this format, including contaminant levels. The department must have the database operational within six months of the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Water Quality

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SF 2356: A bill for an act relating to monitoring the application of manure originating from a confinement feeding operation, and making penalties applicable.

SF 2356 requires owners of larger livestock operations (those needing manure management plans) to monitor manure application near surface water or groundwater sources. If weather or conditions increase spill risk, they must report potential discharges to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR will publish these reports online and investigate affected sites. This applies to operations exceeding 500 animal units, which are already required to submit manure management plans under existing law.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SF 2258: A bill for an act relating to animal feeding operations by providing for certain air and water quality regulations, including when two or more related confinement feeding operations are deemed to be a single operation, making penalties applicable, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 2258 clarifies when multiple livestock facilities (animal feeding operations) must be treated as a single operation for environmental regulations. It defines specific triggers, such as facilities being within 2,500 feet, sharing manure systems or roads, or under common ownership. When these conditions apply, all related facilities are combined for regulatory purposes, meaning their combined size determines compliance with air and water quality rules and potential penalties. The bill also restricts expansions of related facilities unless new structures meet distance requirements. This primarily affects large livestock operations with multiple interconnected facilities in Iowa.

Topics ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics Water Quality

All environment bills