Posted by Jane Clark PUBLIC COMMENT SOUGHT ON MANURE MANAGEMENT PLAN SUBMITTAL DES MOINES - The DNR is seeking public input on a proposal that would require preconstruction submittal of manure management plans for confinement feeding operations. The hearing will be held at 1 p.m., Oct. 17, in the fifth floor conference room of the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines. "The DNR proposed this rule in response to a petition filed by 16 Iowa legislators," said Wayne Gieselman, coordinator of the DNR animal feeding operations program. The rule change would require plans to be submitted to the DNR and the county board of supervisors 30 days before construction begins. Another provision requires owners to disclose the location and size of other facilities that they partially own or manage that lie within 2,500 feet of the proposed operation. A majority of the Animal Agriculture Consulting Organization's members voted to oppose the DNR's proposed rule, saying that it could delay construction. The Notice of Intended Action and minutes of the June 6 AACO meeting are available on the DNR website at www.state.ia.us/dnr/organiza/epd/. Look under Water Quality Bureau: wastewater, then animal feeding operations. The proposed rule does not apply to small animal feeding operations that are not required to submit a manure management plan or to the larger facilities that must submit a plan to obtain a construction permit. Written comments can be submitted up to Oct. 17 to Sara Smith, DNR, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-0034 or fax to (515) 281-6794. Anyone with special requirements who will attend the hearing should notify the DNR of their special needs. For more information, contact Karen Grimes, at (515) 281-5135. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]