Iowa City, Iowa — As pollution continues to impact Iowa’s environmental landscape, seasoned lawyer Jim Larew, 70, has committed the remainder of his career to legal battles aiming to safeguard the state’s most vulnerable waters. At the heart of these efforts is a fledgling movement in Northeast Iowa, a region valued for its relatively pristine streams in an area known as the Driftless Region. This area, unique for its lack of glacial sediment drift, features terrain that, while picturesque with its spring-fed streams and caves, is particularly susceptible to surface pollution.
In 2022, Larew and fellow clean-water advocates formed the Driftless Water Defenders. The group’s primary mission is to prevent the construction and operation of a manure digester near Decorah. This facility, they argue, would contribute to significant increases in dairy herd sizes and subsequently, more manure spread across local fields, exacerbating the risk of water contamination.
Their activism recently included a legal warning directed at a Postville meat-packing facility responsible for repeated wastewater violations. Despite ongoing infractions, the facility has yet to face monetary penalties from state regulators.
A key victory for environmental advocates occurred when an administrative law judge favored Larew and his clients in rejecting a water-use permit for a large cattle operation near the Bloody Run Creek’s headwaters near Monona. This case was also challenged by the Sierra Club of Iowa and veteran environmental lawyer Wally Taylor.
Reflecting on his legal journey and advocacy, Larew sees his fights as part of what he anticipates will be a broader civil rights movement in Iowa, focused on recognizing access to clean water and air as a fundamental human right. Inspired by early environmental icons and pivotal movements, such as the first Earth Day demonstrations, Larew’s dedication to environmental issues is also personal, shaped by youthful ambitions and profound early career experiences.
His environmental advocacy was sharpened during his time working in the East Coast, where he attended Harvard University and engaged with legislative processes through his work with then U.S. Senator John Culver of Iowa. This period solidified his commitment to environmental law—a commitment that deepened after witnessing firsthand the complex interplay between lawmaking and lobbying.
After a stint in politics, including an unsuccessful congressional run and time as a chief advisor during the administration of Governor Chet Culver, Larew returned to private practice, determined to tackle pressing environmental and public welfare issues. His notable legal successes include a major class-action settlement that significantly compensated residents living near a polluting corporation in Muscatine, Iowa.
While Northeast Iowa remains a beacon for those valuing environmental conservation, Larew worries about wider regional declines in environmental quality, where pollution has increasingly alienated communities from their natural surroundings. He remains hopeful, however, citing the resilient clean-water culture in parts of the state.
The complexity of Larew’s journey and the broader environmental challenges in Iowa reflect the tensions between economic interests, environmental sustainability, and community health—an ongoing dialogue that Larew is eager to influence as his career progresses.
As the fight for a cleaner Iowa continues, the outcomes of these legal battles promise to set precedents that could affect the environmental and legal landscapes far beyond the state’s borders.
Please note that this article was automatically generated by Open AI and may contain inaccuracies in people, facts, circumstances, and other specific details. For corrections, retractions, or removals, please contact contact@publiclawlibrary.org.