Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Coverage of Iowa Department of Natural Resources in the Nexus archive.
- Researchers identify thousands more Iowa livestock facilities than state database shows
Researchers from the Environmental Working Group identified 15,309 livestock facilities in Iowa using aerial and satellite data, exceeding the state's database count by over 4,000. The state database excludes small operations not regulated by law, while the study includes all facilities with at least 50 animal units to assess manure-related environmental impacts. The analysis also found a 12.9% increase in large livestock facilities since 2019.
- Popular beaches closed as high bacteria levels raise health concerns for swimmers
Officials in Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington have closed beaches due to elevated bacteria levels, including E. coli, raising health concerns for swimmers. The Environment America Research & Policy Center reported 61% of U.S. beaches had potentially unsafe contamination in 2024. Contamination sources include fecal matter from urban runoff, sewage overflows, and pathogens from factory farms.