A Polk County Iowa District Court Judge ruled this week that an environmental lawsuit brought against the state of Iowa will move forward. Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement’s State Policy Director Adam Mason says the action brought by ICCI, Food and Water Watch and Public Justice is seeking Raccoon River Restoration from pollution, as well as a moratorium on all large farming operations.

He says while the case will proceed, it’ll probably be next year at the earliest before it gets going.

Mason says the Raccoon River is just one of several hundred waterways in Iowa that are impaired.

Mason says they’re calling for a moratorium on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations with over 1,000 animal units, or the equivalent of 2,500 hogs.