Dear friends,
I attended the DNR's public hearing tonight in
Urbandale. Probably some other Sierra List member can
submit a more complete summary, because I spent a
large part of the meeting in the hallway with my baby,
and I couldn't hear all of the speakers well.
There were at least 120 people there. As far as I
could tell about 80 percent were farmers opposed to
the air quality standards. Most of those who spoke
opposed the standards, and many of their remarks
sounded like they came straight from Farm Bureau
talking points. Again and again they thanked the DNR
for the opportunity to speak, said how long they had
been farming (and often how many years they had been
married as well), claimed to be all for air quality
standards, but opposed to the 15 parts per billion
standard for hydrogen sulfide because it's not "sound
science," it's too strict, it will drive them out of
business, and so on. Some added that they and their
children were healthy, so obviously hydrogen sulfide
is not a problem. Some said the level of hydrogen
sulfide should be measured farther away from the
farms.
I did hear several people make great comments
supporting the rule, but I think it would be helpful
if environmentally-minded people planning to attend
future
public meetings on this issue were prepared to refute
the specifics of the Farm Bureau's arguments.
For instance, it would be great if someone could stand
up and say what percentage of family farms in Iowa
raising livestock would be affected by this rule, or
could explain the specifics of the "sound science"
that researchers at U of Iowa and ISU used to come up
with recommendations.
If someone could stand up and recite statistics about
the harmful health effects of hydrogen sulfide, that
would be great too.
Also people should be prepared to speak out in support
of the DNR's proposal on where measurements should be
taken near CAFOs. Why is the Farm Bureau wrong?
Since I brought my baby to the meeting, I chatted
briefly with a woman who works for the Farm Bureau,
apparently in some kind of public affairs capacity.
She appeared to be expecting a child. I asked her
whether she lives near a CAFO. No, she doesn't. Would
she like to live next to a CAFO? She wouldn't have a
problem with that at all. Why doesn't she move her
family next to a CAFO? She can't afford to buy a farm
right now, she said.
It would be fantastic if more people living near CAFOs
could attend these public meetings. Perhaps they can
come prepared to say how living near noxious fumes has
affected their family's health and their property's
value.
Best wishes,
Laurie Belin
What
--- Tarah Heinzen <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Another hearing to tell the DNR we want them to set
> air quality standards
> for factory farms...Mason City, April 1.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bryan Bunton
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 12:09 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Additional Public Hearing
>
>
> Tarah,
> I just wanted to let you know that the department
> has scheduled an
> additional public hearing in Mason City regarding
> the proposed hydrogen
> sulfide health effects value.
>
> The hearing will be held on Thursday, 4/1/04, from
> 6:30 to 8:30 at the
> following location:
>
> North Iowa Area Community College
> Muse-Norris Center
> 500 College Drive
> Mason City, IA 50401
>
> The hearing will be published in the Administrative
> Bulletin. Please pass
> along to those interested.
>
>
> Bryan Bunton
> Environmental Specialist
> Iowa Department of Natural Resources
> Air Quality Bureau
> 7900 Hickman Road Suite 1
> Urbandale, IA 50322
> 515-281-6729
> 515-242-5094 fax
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> - - - - - -
> To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions,
> see:
> http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Search - Find what you’re looking for faster
http://search.yahoo.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp
|
