Tell the Iowa DNR that Iowans Deserve Clean Air

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Iowa's current air quality monitoring system is insufficient. The Clean Air Act requires every state to monitor air quality to ensure that it meets public health standards. These monitors are meant to detect air pollution such as ozone and fine particulate matter, or PM, that contribute to asthma and cancer. Submit your comments to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by June 29th and ask them to improve the air monitoring system to better protect our health.

Right now, Iowa’s Air Monitoring Network, operated by the Iowa DNR, is not designed to capture data from many of the areas with the highest concentrations of pollutants and asthma rates in Iowa, including some areas near coal plants. There are some obvious locations in Iowa have no air monitoring at all, while others see monitors placed at a distance from communities impacted by emitting sources. Research has shown that air pollution increases the risk of cancer, including lung, brain, liver, colorectal, and kidney. Given the high rates of cancer and asthma in the state, Iowa DNR needs to assess air quality at places with high populations of vulnerable and impacted people.  

Take action below and call on the Iowa DNR to fill in the gaps and to monitor places across the state with high rates of asthma. We all deserve clean air to breathe! 

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Iowa Environmental Council
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iecmail@iaenvironment.org

Iowa DNR - Brian Hutchins

Subject: 5-year Air Monitoring Network Assessment

Message:

I am writing to ask the DNR to improve Iowa’s Air Monitoring Network Assessment to better assess air pollution near the places with high populations of susceptible and impacted people. The network currently has numerous gaps that avoid capturing data near the areas with the highest concentrations of pollutants and asthma rates in Iowa. Some places, such as Ottumwa, have no ozone or PM 2.5 monitors at all. Other places, like Sioux City, have monitors that are not near the communities with high asthma rates or near facilities that emit known asthma-causing pollutants. DNR is seeking to waive lead monitoring despite coal plant air permits in Council Bluffs that allow lead emissions. The Clean Air Act requires monitoring air quality to ensure the air meets public health standards. Iowa needs to assess air quality at places with high populations of vulnerable people, like children with asthma. We need additional monitoring to help assess the contribution of air pollution to Iowa’s high cancer rates. Our public health requires more complete data and transparency about air pollution risks. Please prioritize updating the monitoring network to better include places with high rates of asthma to make sure we all have clean air to breathe. Thank you,

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