Outdoor education workshops scheduled this spring and summer

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is sponsoring workshops for K–12 educators on Iowa’s outdoors this spring and summer. 

A Project WILD, Aquatic WILD and Project Learning Tree online self-guided module for teachers, naturalists and other K-12 educators is available February 19-March 26.  Participants will explore the three national award-winning activity guides. Materials are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and other Common Core standards. Upon completion of the required activities, participants will receive all three teaching guides.

A Field Investigations using Project WILD, Aquatic WILD and Project Learning Tree workshop for teachers, naturalists and other K-12 educators is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 8 and 9 at Jester Park Nature Center in Polk City. Learn how outdoor projects, exploration, and field investigations provide relevant learning opportunities for students that support STEM-based learning. Trainers will work with educators to incorporate activities from these resources into inquiry-based learning units, and to conduct real field investigations with their students.

Iowa educators can earn license renewal for both courses. Graduate credit is available for the Field Investigations course. Register for the above outdoor education courses through the AEALearning website at https://aealearning.truenorthlogic.com/. You will be asked to create an account if you do not already have one. After logging in, enter “Project WILD” in the course search to find registration information for each course.

DNR enforcement actions

DES MOINES – DNR staff work with individuals, businesses and communities to help them protect our natural resources by complying with state and federal laws. This approach is very effective. In the few cases where compliance cannot be achieved, the DNR issues enforcement actions. The following list summarizes recent enforcement actions. Find the entire, original orders on DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov/EnforcementActions 

Consent Orders

A consent order is issued as an alternative to issuing an administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has voluntarily entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the other party.

Floyd County
Cody Ritter
Comply with all open burning laws and pay a $4,500 administrative penalty.

Woodbury County
City of Sloan
Submit a chloride removal schedule for approval; submit chlorine removal update reports; and pay a $1,000 administrative penalty.

Administrative Orders

Responsible parties have 60 days to appeal the order or 60 days to pay the penalty.

Worth County
Chad Roche
Cease collecting waste tires and comply with applicable waste tire disposal, storage, and transportation laws; remove and properly dispose of all waste tires in excess of 500 PTE; submit receipt of disposal; and pay a $10,000 administrative penalty.

Air Quality permits under review

DES MOINES – The DNR Air Quality Bureau has the following draft permits up for review. The permits help protect Iowans’ health and air quality. DNR’s permitting staff review each permit application to ensure facilities comply with state and federal air quality requirements. We encourage public comments on draft permits, providing help on how to make effective comments. Submit written comments to the assigned permit writer before 4:30 p.m. on the last day of the comment period. DNR considers public comments before finalizing the permits.

Construction Permits

DNR engineers review and issue construction permits to facilities before they build new or modify existing sources of air pollution. The public may review the following air quality construction permits available online at www.iowadnr.gov/airpermitsearch OR through the EASY Air Public Inquiry Portal and then click the Public Notice tab.

Muscatine County
Grain Processing Corporation – 1600 Oregon St., Muscatine.
Project No. 22-246, Emission Point 556.0: The purpose of this project is to update the equipment listed on the permit, to increase the emission limit for particulate matter, and to modify the control equipment operating limits for the ethanol fermentation process. The public comment period ends March 6.