Crawford Stewardship Project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2009
Wauzeka, WI -- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has sent a Notice of Non-Compliance to A.V. Roth, owner of Roth Feeder Pig in Wauzeka. The notice, dated March 5th, indicated the Department will take additional enforcement actions to bring Roth into compliance with state clean water requirements if animal units are not reduced to below the 1,000 animal unit threshold within 45 days. The letter also called for documentation of past and future daily animal counts.
Crawford Stewardship Project spokesperson Jennifer Nelson stated “We are pleased that the DNR has initiated these steps to enforce state laws designed to protect drinking water supplies for citizens in Crawford County. CSP is concerned that the location of this facility may pose a threat to groundwater. We hope the Roths will be required to have more land to safely spread the waste from the hogs and beef housed at the facility and that the manure would be knifed into the soil where appropriate to lessen runoff and odors that affect neighbors.”
State law requires that all Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) with 1000 animal units or greater have a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit that includes a nutrient management plan and other restrictions needed to protect surface and groundwater quality. Roth Feeder Pigs has applied for this permit, but has yet to be approved by the DNR. The letter indicated Roth has not yet submitted adequate documentation showing it can safely dispose of the 1.4 million gallons of liquid animal waste it generates annually in compliance with state standards. The DNR is continuing to work with Roth to resolve these issues.
Mr. Roth was advised by the DNR last May that any confined livestock facility that exceeds the 1000 AU level before a WPDES permit is issued is in violation of section NR 243, Wisconsin Administrative Code, and associated Wisconsin statutes. The DNR has the authority to refer the facility to the Department of Justice for civil prosecution, which could include a temporary or permanent injunction and forfeitures up to $10,000 per violation. Anyone who willfully or negligently violates these or other clean water laws may be fined $25,000 per violation, imprisoned for not more than 6 months or both.