A wasterwater discharge permit issued to a Postville business has been thrown out in court. A Polk County District Court judge has reversed the permit issued to AgriProcessors of Postville by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The judge says the D-N-R violated state law in granting two variances from water quality regulations.The judge ruled the D-N-R did not make a finding of necessity before issuing the variances. A local group, Northeast Iowa Citizens for Clean Water, had challenged the permits. The group was formed to protect a nearby creek and river affected by the discharges. The group has also filed a lawsuit challenging new state standards for discharges, saying they’re more lax than federal standards.
