"Get clean-handed people to do your dirty work."

Stewart Iverson hasn't said this publicly, but he might as well have.  If
you speak at the hearing, don't pussyfoot around the merits of the matrix
and how it shouldn't be weakened further.  If (when) the committee votes its
petition to stay implementation, the matrix will be nullified for as long as
Farm Bureau, Heatland Pork, and their cronies can keep DNR tied up in court.
2293 will then be what Senator Lundby wanted it to be in the first place,
"Bigger set-back distances, that's all."

The PROCESS is what's at issue here.  The process by which we arrived at
writing 2293 was messy, it was often heated and difficult, and Senator
Iverson tried many ways to compromise it.  But in the end, the overall
goodwill of the twelve prevailed.

To the question of subcategories:  Rep. Manternach spent much of last Easter
weekend running a spread sheet, tweaking the points offered in the three
categories so that an applicant could see how (if) it could be possible to
achieve an acceptable final score.  Mitigation to reduce or eliminate risk
was the key "bargaining chip."  Running up enough points in one category to
let an applicant quash unacceptable and unfixable scores in the other
categories was NEVER assented to by the group of twelve.

DNR and the majority of the advisory committee  (which the livestock
interests locked up on ideological lines) wrote the matrix rules in accord
with the intent of the law's writers--at least as THIS one of those writers
remembers it.

Forget the virtues of the matrix.  The issue is good intentions and fair
process threatened by bad politics.  Tell the Six to get their clean hands
off Mr. Iverson's dirty underwear.

Bill Witt

-----Original Message-----
From:   Iowa Discussion, Alerts and Announcements
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jane Clark
Sent:   Wednesday, February 19, 2003 5:04 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: Challenge to CAFO Master Matrix

This alert is from IowaCCI to its members.  Use what works for you!

In a last ditch effort to weaken the Master Matrix, six Republican
Senators and Representatives are planning to file an objection with the
administrative rules review committee on Friday, February 21 concerning
the proposed rules.

The DNR wrote the Master Matrix rules and included a scoring system that
addresses three subcategories -- air, water, and community -- that
factory farm owners must pass, in addition to passing an overall score,
to obtain a permit.  The six Republicans claim that the legislature did
not intend for subcategories when passing last year's farm bill.
Democrats disagree, saying there was an intent for subcategories.

This is another potent example of Farm Bureau's and corporate
agribusiness's influence in the State House.  These six legislators are
simply carrying water for factory farm owners and supporters.

We need to tell Representatives Danny Carroll, George Eichhorn, and Dave
Heaton and Senators Jeff Angelo, Donald Redfern, and Paul McKinley we
don't want the Matrix rules weakened.

The administrative rules review committee will discuss the rules at 8:15
a.m. on Friday, February 21 in Room 116 at the State Capitol.  Public
comment will be allowed.

The Matrix is already weak enough!!!

Don't let these 6 legislators weaken it more!

Call or email them today

It would be great if members could attend the meeting and speak in
support of the subcategories addressing air, water, and community.  If
you can't attend the meeting, you can email or call the representative
and senators and tell them that you don't want the Matrix weakened.

Representative Danny Carroll - [log in to unmask],
515/281-3221

Representative George Eichhorn - [log in to unmask],
515/281-3221

Representative Dave Heaton - [log in to unmask], 515/281-3221

Senator Jeff Angelo - [log in to unmask], 515/281-3371

Senator Don Redfern - [log in to unmask], 515/281-3371

Senator Paul McKinley - [log in to unmask], 515/281-3371

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