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Senator Stayed urges stepped approach to water quality bills, citing Iowa Clean Water Act work
Summary
Senator Stayed told the Iowa Senate he is pursuing several focused bills this session aimed at water-quality problems such as nitrates and E. coli, and urged colleagues to champion or introduce similar targeted proposals rather than a single large bill.
Senator Stayed (Lynn) urged immediate action to address Iowas water-quality problems, telling colleagues "The time to act is now." He said practical solutions and scientific strategies exist and that he has introduced multiple smaller bills designed to make concrete progress rather than waiting for a single comprehensive package.
"Every Iowan deserves clean, safe drinking water," Senator Stayed said, citing closed beaches, impaired waterways, and troubling nitrate and E. coli levels as reasons for prompt action. He framed the proposals as compatible with supporting farmers, saying protections for water and support for agriculture "go hand in hand." He urged fellow senators to "champion 1 of these proposals or bring forward your own." The senator described his earlier work that became the Iowa Clean Water Act and characterized the session's approach as focused, incremental steps with higher chances of enactment.
Senator Stayed emphasized outreach and consultation during the interim, saying he met with farmers, constituents, and environmental organizations to shape the proposals. He did not specify bill numbers or funding levels in his floor remarks. Next procedural steps were not announced on the floor during his remarks.
