House Democrats
For Immediate Release For More Information:
December 5, 2001 Representative Bill Witt (319) 266-8831
Representative Witt says a solution to the hog lot controversy is
right under the Republicans' noses
(Cedar Falls, Iowa) Although welcoming Legislative Republican’s announcement they want to debate hog lot legislation next session, State Representative Bill Witt said the Republicans "have missed several opportunities to look at solutions that are good environmentally and politically."
Representative Witt offered legislation last year that would provide objective criteria for siting livestock confinement operations that would be reviewed at the local level. The bill, HF 380, died in committee. The bill was patterned after an amendment that was introduced and defeated in 1998, the last time the legislature debated the hog lot issue.
"Our proposal follows a structure put in place in other areas of state government," said Witt. "It blends detailed, uniform statewide criteria with local oversight and management. It gives local citizens authority to conduct a careful, standardized review. The appeal process makes it fair for all parties involved."
The bill would establish comprehensive site evaluation and risk assessment criteria for the siting of livestock confinement feeding operations. "It parallels what we’ve done with underground storage tanks and brownfields," Witt said. "It requires the Department of Natural Resources to adopt rules based on a risk based siting analysis that takes into account various factors including topography, drainage patterns, seasonal airflows, soils, hydrology, hydrogeology, population density, residential development patterns, and land use planning factors."
The bill does five things:
- Establishes risk standards and criteria for siting confinement operations.
- Creates a county review process through a siting review board.
- Establishes an applicant appeal process.
- Creates an incentive program to help mitigate the risks.
- Requires a study of the social and economic impacts.
"I am pleased that Republicans are willing to listen to the concerns of Iowans," said Witt. "I look forward to working with them to find a sensible and fair solution to the hog lot problem."
Representative Witt is the ranking Democrat on the House Environmental Protection Committee.
# # #