“No answer to a good question under Iowa’s current law.” Decorah Leader 7-10-25
Dear editor,
At the recent Environmental Protection Commission meeting here in Decorah, Julie Fischer’s question about what was going to be done about the ammonia cloud that hangs over Iowa was met with the simple statement that the DNR doesn’t regulate ammonia. What follows is why it doesn’t regulate ammonia and what that means for humans.
In 2018 Larry Stone, Dick Janson, and I sued the DNR asking them to regulate the air pollution emissions, including ammonia, coming out of hog confinements. In his “Order Granting Motion to Dismiss” our DNR lawsuit, the judge wrote:
“Section 459.207 is one of many “Air Quality” protections contained in
Subchapter II. Section 459.207 expressly addresses the emission of “airborne
pollutants,” including the emission of “ammonia” and “hydrogen sulfide,” from
“confinement feeding operation structure[s].” And it expressly authorizes the
DNR to take various measures to “control” and “reduce” the emissions of those
pollutants “from animal feeding operations.”
In 2003 the EPC adopted rules for regulating “hydrogen sulfide” and “ammonia” air emissions from CAFOs, which were, and still are, authorized under Section 459.207 as the judge noted. However, via the rule-making process the Iowa Legislature made it impossible to regulate air emission pollution coming out of confinements by voting to ‘Repeal the Ambient Air Quality Standards’ for ammonia and hydrogen-sulfide. So, even though Section 459.207 remains on the books, it is currently not possible to regulate air pollution coming out of confinements because there are no ambient air standards in place with which to regulate those CAFO air emissions. In other words, there is no enforcement mechanism to apply the laws.
As a result, Iowa has a constant ammonia cloud hanging over it from the volatilization of synthetic ammonia fertilizers and from confinement ammonia air emissions. When it rains or snows, all Iowans, if they are outside, are fertilized with ammonia.
Confinement air pollutants can harm the human central nervous system, the digestive system, the respiratory system, and eyes and skin. Ammonia can cause asthma, and as we know, hydrogen-sulfide can kill you.
Julie’s question about what would be done about the ammonia cloud over Iowa was a good question. It is too bad that, by law, there won’t be an answer to it.
Bob Watson
Rural Decorah