The State of Iowa gets 75% of its DNR funding (Department of Natural Resources) from the Federal Government. Iowa’s DNR is worried they will lose some of this funding if they don’t push the reduction on nitrate limits that the EPA is requesting. (Federal Environmental Protection Agency) This coercion by the EPA is objectionable.
The key issue is the enumerated powers of the State which is set out in the United States Constitution. (Article I, section 8) The 10th Amendment states that all privileges not vested in the federal government nor prohibited of the states are reserved to the states and to the people.
The EPA is in direct conflict with enumerated powers of the states. The EPA has rule making power that expands to all states in the nation. It further pushes its power by controlling the money it gives to each state. This is a complete over-reach of power.
States are great incubators for great ideas, including ways to mitigate nitrates. NW Iowa has several rural water organizations that are putting together studies and mitigation ideas to handle the nitrate problem. Initiatives like this and what other States are doing create opportunity that is far better than the federal EPA’s heavy regulatory demands.
The number 1 topic at my forums over the last several years has been the regulations that the DNR is requiring based on the federal EPA. Cattle farmers have noted that there are so many rules that an operation can no longer know what is expected of them. Iowa should not be held captive by the EPA carrot of money.