The Crawford County Conservation Committee tabled the decision on completeness of the first confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) in the county, at their meeting on September 14th. The Committee will decide on the application completeness at their regularly scheduled meeting Oct. 5.
Edie Ehlert, the coordinator of Crawford Stewardship Project (CSP), an affiliate of Valley Stewardship Network, says, "We thank the Committee for carefully considering the application and taking the time needed and allowed by law. We presented folders of independent research on the CAFO issue to the committee members and appreciate their recognition that this is a complex issue."
"We will be responding to the application with expert and citizen comment," Ms. Ehlert remarked. "A public hearing will be held 30 or more days after acceptance of the application."
"We have packets of information for citizens to read on health and safety concerns," offers Lamar Janes of CSP. "Calling your board representative, writing letters to the editor, and signing petitions will help to show our County Board that we care deeply about this issue. The lack of monitoring in the law governing CAFOs is cause for grave concern."
Contact CSP at 735-4277 for County Board and Conservation and Health Committee member names and phone numbers or go online at http://crawfordcountywi.org/ and click on "Official Directory".
Submitted by Edie Ehlert, coordinator
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI