The Iowa Department of Nat­ural Resources (DNR) last week signed a work plan agreement with the federal Environmental Pro­tection Agency (EPA) confirming Iowa’s continued implementation of federal Clean Water Act (CWA) regulations for livestock farms.

The new work plan establishes a partnership approach for working with large- and medium-scale livestock operations in Iowa to share best practices, clarify responsibilities and further demonstrate the shared commitment from all stakeholders to be good stewards of the land, the DNR said in a press release.

Under the plan, approximately 8,500 Iowa livestock farms will be reviewed to document and determine compliance with Clean Water Act requirements. The DNR will also conduct risk-based site inspections...