IDEM meeting addresses CAFO concerns

Staff from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) addressed last Wednesday ground water and other concerns at a public meeting on a proposed CAFO dairy operation near Cutler. Over 100 people attended the meeting at the 4-H Community Building in Flora, and submitted written questions to an IDEM panel.

IDEM is currently reviewing an individual permit application from Boerman Carroll Dairy, LLC, for approval to build and operate a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) for 4,100 dairy cows near the intersection of SR 75 and CR 600 South.

Dennis Lassiter, a technical review specialist for IDEM, explained that in 2003, Indiana adopted all of the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency. "Some of our rules are even more stringent than EPA rules," he said.

He explained that these rules are to prevent regulated farms from polluting surface and ground water by regulating manure storage, land application, storm water runoff, and soil erosion.

Lassiter said that CAFOs are not allowed to treat wastewater and there is a zero discharge limitation imposed on them.

He also explained that nutrient management programs that are part of the permit process place limitations on manure applications. Carroll County is currently only using nine percent of its tillable acreage for manure application, he said.

Plans for the Boerman Carroll Dairy include one large lagoon and two smaller lagoons.

If a spill occurs, the operator has two hours to report the spill and the dairy will be liable for all costs of its cleanup, said IDEM officials.

A CAFO of this size will have two compliance inspections during its first year of operation.

Questions about wetlands and groundwater were addressed by Hamid Masgood of IDEM's geology department. Wetlands are considered waters of the state. Masgood said they have reviewed the site and there are no wetlands within 300 feet of the proposed facility. He also said they have tested wells within a one to two mile radius of the site and found that it is a fairly deep, protected aquifer. He said it was unlikely that wells would go dry.

A question was posed as to how many submitted permits to IDEM have been denied. Lassiter said that in recent years he could only think of one and that applicant refused to address deficiencies in his application. Applicants are given the chance to correct deficiencies in their application and resubmit them for approval, as many times as it takes to get the permit correct. Once the applicant has satisfied all regulatory requirements, IDEM will issue a permit to construct and operate the facility.

He also said applicants must meet appropriate local zoning and land use requirements.

The draft permit and application materials for the dairy can be viewed at the Flora-Monroe Public Library, 109 N. Center St., Flora, or electronic versions can be copied at http://www.IN.gov/idem/permits/ land/notices/index.html.

A 30-day comment period on the project began Jan. 31. Written comments can be mailed to the Permits Branch, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Office of Land Quality, 100 N. Senate Ave., MC 65-45, IGCN, 1101, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251.