Iowa Water Pollution

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is considering whether to allow citizens rights and environmental groups to proceed to trial with their lawsuit that claims Iowa has allowed crop and hog farmers to pollute the Raccoon River, denying citizens safe water for drinking and recreation. Justices heard arguments Wednesday in the case filed in March 2019 by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch. The state claims the case should be dismissed because the Iowa Constitution places the responsibility of balancing the interests of farmers and water quality in the hands of the legislature and executives and the courts shouldn’t intervene in those policy considerations.