Vote to revise Iowa's Master Matrix for hog confinement operations fails unanimously

Iowa's Environmental Protection Commission Monday morning voted unanimously to deny a petition filed by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch to strengthen the master matrix.

None of the eight EPC commissioners attending Monday's meeting voted to move forward with the rulemaking petition.  The denial was based on a recommendation by the Iowa DNR.

The petition suggested new criteria that would consider more environmental factors, such as the unique Karst topography of Northeast Iowa.  It also called for Increased separation distances between hog confinements and schools, homes, public use areas and wells.

Following the EPC meeting, ICCI members delivered letters to Speaker of the House Linda Upmeyer, Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, and Governor Reynolds asking them to make changes to the master matrix during the 2018 legislative session.  Said Hardin County farmer Nick Schutt, "To fix the problem, we need to hold our elected officials accountable and make sure they stand with the people of Iowa."

DNR records show that only 2.2 percent of applications have been denied since the master matrix was created in 2002.