Foster County Planning & Zoning Board

~Citizens against the Mega-Dairy LOCATION ~

Join Us, and Prevent the STINK!

NOTICE:  Our concerned citizens meeting took place at the Armory in Carrington on February 12, 2008,  with approximately 40 people attending.  The main concerns addressed were: the location of the Mega-dairy and its closeness to Carrington and the Carrington aquifer... the possibility of it contaminating our ground water; the fact that we need stricter county regulations regarding large CAFO's (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations such as this Mega-dairy) that want to come to our area; that much of the planning for this proposed Mega-dairy in Carrington was done by some community leaders without notifying the general public. 

Read about a recent manure spill from a mega-dairy lagoon in Maryland.  Do we want to take a chance that something like this could happen to Carrington?

Manure spill could mean months of temporary water supply
Originally published

January 30, 2008
By Gina Gallucci - Frederick News-Post Staff - Maryland

WALKERSVILLE -- For town residents who remember the 1999 sewage spill that forced them to use a makeshift water supply for five months, this could be worse. Test results this week from untreated water show the levels of bacteria and E. coli are greater than in 1999, said Mike Marschner, director of the county's Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management.

The contamination is the result of a manure lagoon pipe that burst last week, said town commissioner Chad Weddle. The burst actually created two spills, one on Jan. 22 and a second Friday night into Saturday morning.

This spill took about four days to infiltrate the town's water supply, compared to 1999 when it took nine days, Marschner said.

These findings were released during a press conference Tuesday afternoon at Town Hall. The meeting room was packed with media, town and county officials and concerned residents.

More...

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008
Farmer apologizes for massive manure spill

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"One fear is that what happened in Walkerton, Canada, could happen in our community. In the small Ontario town, which is the site of several dairy farms, seven people died and 2,300 became ill  ...  after drinking water polluted with E. coli, a bacteria contained in cow manure. Cow manure washed into a nearby well after a heavy rain, causing the health crisis, says Peter Rehak, spokesperson for the Walkerton Inquiry, a public commission established to investigate the tragedy."

-Metro Times - Detroit-

Marshall Co. To Prosecute Excel Dairy
Written by Scott DCamp

(Following are excerpts from DCamp's article.  Click here for the entire report.)

Marshall County Attorney Mike Williams announced during the June 3 meeting of the Marshall County Board of Commissioners that he was filing a misdemeanor public nuisance charge against Excel Dairy and its parent company, the Dairy Dozen. The charge comes after numerous residents have complained of a continuous strong odor that has been emitted by the dairy.

Williams said Rick Millner, Excel Dairy’s chief executive officer, has been summoned to appear in court Tuesday, June 10 at 9:30 a.m. The appearance is mandatory. If he fails to appear, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.

Williams said the misdemeanor nuisance charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. He is prepared to issue additional charges if odor problems continue and he told residents to submit additional complaints directly to his office.

Marshall County resident Jeff Brouse opened Tuesday’s meeting by presenting readings that were taken from a Jerome Toxic Gas Analyzer. The device, which is currently on loan from Arizona Instrument, takes readings of hydrogen sulfide concentration in parts per million.

Brouse formally presented readings that were taken Monday, June 2 at the home of Paul and Mona Loe. Those readings were .108, .091, .069, .083, .064, .103 and .104 parts per million, which were taken every five minutes, starting at 10:12 p.m.

Brouse then explained what the readings mean for the residents who are forced to breathe the air near Excel Dairy.

The World Health Organization recommends that a concentration of three parts per billion never be exceeded for a half-hour.

Long-term exposure at five to 10 parts per billion (.005-.01 ppm) can cause neurological damage and brain damage. It can also cause headaches, nausea and asthma attacks for individuals with sensitive immune systems.

Brouse said he also took readings from his home. A reading on his deck showed a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 57 parts per billion. Readings from within his children’s bedroom showed an even greater concentration, of more than nine parts per billion, which is three times the concentration that the WHO recommends never exceeding for a half hour time period.

“It smells like barn in our house,” Brouse said. “Something’s got to be done and this $1,000 fine is not going to get it done.” 

  Curtis Carlson, chairman of the Marshall County Board, said based on the Jerome readings, that the residents shouldn’t be living in those kind of conditions.

    Mona Loe countered that it is Excel Dairy that should not be there. “We were there first,” she said. “No-body should experience this even once in their lifetime and we’ve had to deal with it for the past two years,” Loe added.

Carlson then suggested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency be called to assist with the problem. “You can’t have your kids in this, Jeff,” Carlson said. Citing Brouse’s information from the WHO, he added, “It talks about permanent damage. You can’t do it.”

Read the entire report...
 

Click here to print out a copy of the petition.

Near a Large Dairy in ID

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AS-1155
Scott Birchall, Livestock Waste Management Specialist

"One of the most important decisions when planning any livestock facility is site selection. The site for the feedlot operation must not only be suitable for housing, handling and feeding cattle, but also must ensure that surface and ground waters are protected and that the impact from odors is minimized. Whether you are planning a new facility or modifying an existing one, the following checklist may help avoid costly mistakes....

Odor
Minimizing the impact of odor on neighboring residents is a combination of:

~Recognizing the prevailing wind direction. In North Dakota, this is usually from the north west or south east (or north/south in the Red River Valley).
~Using topography to your advantage. Odor tends to "drain" down slope in the evening in summer.
~Reduce visual impact. Visual confirmation of dust is more likely to result in odor complaints. Windbreaks will also help break up odor plumes and provide stock protection.
~Providing a buffer distance to the neighbors. It is difficult to specify a particular buffer distance without taking into account the previous factors. Be aware that odors from some larger facilities have been detected 4 to 5 miles distant. Anyone planning a facility within 1 to 2 miles of neighboring dwellings will have to provide more detailed information on how they plan to minimize odor."

Read More...

(The above web site

-produced by the North Dakota State University
NDSU Extension Service-

is extremely informative about the precautions that should be taken regarding livestock waste management.  How does the proposed MEGA-dairy intend  to address these concerns?)

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When the wind blows across the MEGA-dairy lagoon and toward town, say good-by to outdoor family gatherings and visits on the front porch.