Midwest Environmental Advocates: Public testimony reveals overwhelming support for permit changes that require Portage County CAFO to test groundwat


Midwest Environmental Advocates: Public testimony reveals overwhelming support for permit changes that require Portage County CAFO to test groundwat


MADISON, WI— Today, at a public hearing held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), members of the public expressed overwhelming support for a proposal to modify a wastewater discharge permit for Gordondale Farms, a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in Portage County. The draft permit includes conditions that require the farm to monitor groundwater quality in areas where large amounts of manure are spread.

Close to 50 people attended today’s hearing. Those who testified at the hearing voiced support for the proposed permit modifications by a 10-to-1 margin.

If DNR’s proposed modifications are incorporated into the final version, it will be the third CAFO permit to incorporate conditions and authority outlined in a state Supreme Court ruling last summer. That decision affirmed the DNR’s authority to use commonsense permit conditions such as groundwater monitoring and limits on herd size to protect water quality...


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Ken Notes: Why single out Gordondale, we should require all CAFO`s to test ground water as well as surface water for manure contamination. The DNR is tasked with regulating this but is not staffed or supported legislatively to actually monitor these new large farms.

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- - Volume: 10 - WEEK: 21 Date: 5/16/2022 9:13:10 AM -