Six members of the Iowa House and Senate - all Democrats - have sent a letter to Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and attorneys general in 22 other states to ask whether new international trade deals will affect the ability of states to legislate in the public interest.

The letter refers to deals being negotiated by the U.S. Trade Representative, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is intended to enhance trade and investment in the nine partnership countries, including the United States.

Thirty-seven legislators from other states have also signed the letter, which they said seeks insight into agreements they believe are being developed in a shroud of secrecy. The letter is also addressed to the National Association of Attorneys General.

The Iowa signers include Reps. Chuck Isenhart of Dubuque, Curt Hanson of Fairfield, Marti Anderson of Des Moines and Dan Kelley of Newton, plus Sens. William Dotzler of Waterloo and Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City. The letter was coordinated through the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL).

- William Petroski

Group says Iowans play 'water roulette'

Citizens for a Healthy Iowa, a Des Moines-based activist group that supports clean water policies, has released a 30-second television advertisement entitled "Drinking Water Roulette."

The ad is the first in a series that will highlight the need for Gov. Terry Branstad and the Iowa Legislature to improve standards holding Iowa farms accountable for cleaner water, the organization said. "Drinking Water Roulette" will air this week on radio and television, as well as in paid targeted online placements, said spokeswoman Mary Beth Mellick.

"It is past time for the governor to take action and improve Iowa's drinking water," said Mike Delaney, president of Citizens for a Healthy Iowa and a founder of the Raccoon River Watershed Association.

For Des Moines-area residents, who are supplied drinking water from the Des Moines River and Raccoon River, the need to remove high levels of nitrates in the water treatment process has been an increasing concern, although the treated water is considered safe to drink.

-- William Petroski

Good-roads groups to rally at Capitol

A coalition of groups supporting better roads in Iowa have scheduled a "Transportation Day" at the Capitol on Jan. 29 to lobby for increased road funding that could include a hike in the state's gasoline and diesel fuel taxes.

The groups include Iowa Concrete Paving Association, Iowa League of Cities, Iowa State Association of Counties, Iowa County Engineers Service Bureau, Iowa Asphalt Paving Association, Iowa Bankers Association, Community Bankers of Iowa, Associated General Contractors of Iowa, Iowa Good Roads Association, cities, counties, development groups.

The event will begin with a 10 a.m. briefing at the Wallace Building Auditorium. Iowa Department of Transportation Director Paul Trombino is scheduled to talk.

Other speakers are expected to include Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham and Larry Winum, a Glenwood banker who served on Gov. Terry Branstad's Transportation Citizens Advisory Commission in 2011.