FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2013 PEPL of Rosendale Challenge WDNR’s Intent to Reissue Rosendale Dairy’s Permit To Discharge Pollutants (WPDES) Concerns Continue Over Pathogen Inhalation of Toxic Air Emissions Contact: Elaine Swanson, PEPL of Rosendale elaineseverin@yahoo Town of Rosendale, WI – In written comments submitted to DNR, concerned citizens of Ripon, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, and Pickett urged the agency to give careful review of critical issues that further degrade quality of life and health before granting Wisconsin’s largest livestock operation a renewal of their WPDES permit. The Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) is located in the Town of Rosendale, 5 miles south of Pickett. Owned by Milk Source, LLC, Rosendale Dairy houses 9,400 cows and generates over 100 million gallons of waste per year. This untreated toxic blend of feces, urine, antibiotics, and hormones is spread over approximately 30,000 acres. At stake is a reduction from the current 200-ft spreading setback from private wells and direct conduits to groundwater to 100 feet. Mark Resch, retired Ripon High School chemistry teacher observes, “At the public hearing, dairy officials boasted of operating under the strictest regulations of any CAFO in the state. Why then is Rosendale Dairy asking for a reduction in these restrictions?” Resch continues, “The setback distance of 200 feet was adopted when DNR issued the original permit 5 years ago. The same private wells, high water tables, vast wetlands, and fractured bedrock that dictated that setback are still present throughout the spreading areas.” Also being challenged by People Empowered Protect the Land (PEPL) of Rosendale is a permit that utterly dismisses the longstanding injustice of stagnating manure pits (lagoons) remaining uncovered. These enormous cesspools that are used to store untreated liquid waste are continually releasing dangerously toxic air emissions. The original WPDES permit was based on Rosendale Dairy’s submitted report that stated their air emissions would be zero because two of the three largest pits would be covered. DNR accepted this report as valid – yet failed to protect the community by requiring pit covers as part of the permit. Judy and Gary Jolin, residents of rural Pickett, have lived for 35 years in their house located 4 miles north of the dairy. Like others who have contacted DNR about the sickening stench, noise, and truck traffic, Judy confirms the lack of help from DNR. “I’m very concerned about the dairy’s air emissions descending on backyards in this community. We’re likely breathing unsafe levels of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and methane. Yet the DNR tells us they have no authority to regulate air emissions.” Reviewing the permit for PEPL is an engineer with CAFO experience in 21 states who has identified some major flaws. DNR has allowed the inclusion of a new lagoon into the permit being reviewed. This 13.2 million gallon waste pit is a function of the newly proposed Biodigester System owned and operated by UW-Oshkosh Foundation and, therefore, must be evaluated in a totally separate permit. Elaine Swanson, PEPL member living on a 50-acre wildlife sanctuary one mile from the factory farm spoke at the public hearing on this suspicious inclusion. “In an earlier Air Pollution Permit for their proposed Biodigester System, the Foundation took great pains to disassociate itself from all aspects of the Rosendale Dairy operation. Now we see the Foundation’s lagoon somehow slipped into the dairy’s WPDES permit. We the people would like full disclosure of all aspects of this industrial-sized operation. Until such time, we believe reissuance of Rosendale Dairy’s WPDES permit should be denied.” Citizens in the area – as well as around the state - will be waiting for DNR’s response to public comments.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 16:00:01 +0000
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