Feb 19, 2010

Public hearings on water protection for large livestock operations

From WDNR "Wisconsin has been the last state to use individual permits for large-scale livestock operations. By adopting general permits, we will be better able to make the most of our available time to protect public health and Wisconsin's lakes, rivers and groundwater," Stevenson says.

"Wisconsin has among the most rigorous permitting standards in the nation right now, and our proposed general permits have the same requirements," says Gordon Stevenson, who leads the Department of Natural Resources runoff management section.
Two such proposed general permits covering operations of different sizes will be the topic of public hearings statewide in March and April, and a public comment period through April 23, 2010.
Information on hearing dates and locations, and on how to submitted written comments, are available online. http://dnr.wi.gov/runoff/ag/permits.htm
...Under state and federal law, largescale livestock operations are allowed to expand and operate in accordance with a water protection permit, and it's DNR's responsibility to issue those permits and ensure that operations comply with permit conditions, Stevenson says.