The concerned residents of Jackson and Chester townships approached the Area Plan Commission Thursday, July 5, requesting a review of the county zoning ordinance, specifically with regard to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and manure lagoons.
The catalyst for their appearance was the pond currently being built by Ronald A. Mang, on his property at 1100S-600W.
To learn more about their concerns, see the Friday, July 6, News-Banner.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management offers the following information about CAFOs.
The terms CFO and CAFO relate to the size of the CFO. A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) is a CFO that meets the threshold animal numbers for a large CAFO in the chart below. Many of the program’s requirements apply to CFOs of all sizes. Some requirements apply only to CAFOs.
CAFO Threshold Numbers:
700 mature dairy cows
1,000 veal calves
1,000 cattle other than mature dairy cows
2,500 swine above 55 pounds
10,000 swine less than 55 pounds
500 horses
10,000 sheep or lambs
55,000 turkeys
30,000 laying hens or broilers with a liquid manure handling system
125,000 broilers with a solid manure handling system
82,000 laying hens with a solid manure handling system
30,000 ducks with a solid manure handling system
5,000 ducks with a liquid manure handling system
How many CAFOs are there in Indiana?
There are approximately 625 CAFOs in the state. This represents 20 percent of the IDEM regulated farms.
What percentage of the animals do the CAFOs produce?
IDEM estimates they produce 80 percent of the animals at regulated farms.
What are a few of the additional requirements CAFO operators must follow?
• Weekly inspections of their waste storage facilities
• Develop a Soil Conservation Practice Plan for all manure application sites controlled by the CAFO
• Develop a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan for the area immediately around the production barns
• Submit an annual report to IDEM
• Adjust land application rates based on nitrogen and phosphorus
How do local land use requirements affect IDEMs jurisdiction over approving a new CFO/CAFO farm?
IDEM must perform the process that state law and regulations have provided. IDEMs approval does not relieve the farm from complying with any local zoning requirements.
The Purdue University Extension Office also has created several publications discussing CAFOs' impact on the economy, environment and more. Find these publications and more by clicking here.
For additional information:
• IDEM Toll Free Number: (800) 451-6027, then give the operator the listed extension number
• Confined Feeding Operation Approval Questions: (317) 232-4473
• Compliance Questions: (317) 308-3016
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment