Drey’s diagnosis comes amid national attention on Iowa’s cancer crisis, which experts believe could be tied to a “toxic mix” of environmental and health risk factors.
Over the last 30 years, the area has increasingly become home to large-scale confined animal feeding operations, commonly called CAFOs, which keep large numbers of animals in tight conditions.
Following years of inaction on the Clean Water for Iowa Act, one Iowa lawmaker is looking to advance several smaller bills that would improve monitoring and strengthen permit requirements for large industrial farms.
An analysis by Investigative Midwest found that a substantial share of Iowa’s rivers and lakes labeled as impaired have remained in poor condition for at least a decade, highlighting persistent pollution risks for swimmers, boaters, and others who regularly use these waters.
