State Rep. Jane Greimann, D-Ames, believes that her work in the Iowa House is far from finished.

Greimann declared her candidacy last week for a third term in the Iowa House of Representatives. She was first elected in 1999.

After redistricting, she is running to represent the new House District 45, which includes South Ames. Her old district, 61, was primarily North Ames. She is currently unchallenged in her bid for re-election.

Greimann lists environmental problems and school funding as two of her main concerns in the Legislature.

In light of the economic problems facing schools, she advocates the use of reserve funds to pay for education.

“It’s going to be difficult economic times, and every area of government will see cuts in allocations from last year,” she said.

Greimann is a member of the House of Representatives Environmental Protection Committee, and she said she is concerned about its ability to address Iowa’s environmental issues.

“It’s been very hard to get a good discussion on environment in the committee,” she said.

Greimann said she wants the committee to address the problem of hog confinements and their runoff. One of her main concerns about hog confinement facilities in Iowa is “hog lagoons,” or earthen reservoirs for hog waste, she said.

“Ninety-four percent of [hog lagoons] are constructed below the water table, and 17 percent are built over aquifers,” she said.

The issue stalled in the Republican-dominated committee, Greimann said, so she helped organize public forums for people to express their concerns over the confinements.

“Because they haven’t addressed the problem, we’ve gone to the public,” she said.

Mason City hosted a public forum on hog confinements in January, Greimann said, and several more are scheduled in locations around the state.

“We ask people from all backgrounds to talk to us about their concerns for hog lot problems,” she said.

Jan Bauer, chairwoman of the Story County Democratic Party, is optimistic about Greimann’s chances.

“It’s a fairly Democratic-performing district,” Bauer said. “We’ll have as good a chance in the new district as the old one.”