http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/ Life and law in Eastern Indiana Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:55:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-211 Masson’s Blog - A Citizen’s Guide to Indiana » Breakin’ the Law . . . again Fri, 31 Mar 2006 03:35:43 +0000 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-211 [...] This carries over to departments like IDEM. Governor Daniels man at IDEM, Tom Easterly told pork producers IDEM will suspend enforcement of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permits until the EPA has cleared up the confusion surrounding CAFOs. [...] [...] This carries over to departments like IDEM. Governor Daniels man at IDEM, Tom Easterly told pork producers IDEM will suspend enforcement of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permits until the EPA has cleared up the confusion surrounding CAFOs. [...]

]]> http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-210 Masson’s Blog - A Citizen’s Guide to Indiana » Breakin’ the Law . . . again Fri, 31 Mar 2006 03:35:41 +0000 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-210 [...] This carries over to departments like IDEM. Governor Daniels man at IDEM, Tom Easterly told pork producers IDEM will suspend enforcement of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permits until the EPA has cleared up the confusion surrounding CAFOs. [...] [...] This carries over to departments like IDEM. Governor Daniels man at IDEM, Tom Easterly told pork producers IDEM will suspend enforcement of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permits until the EPA has cleared up the confusion surrounding CAFOs. [...]

]]> http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-189 Kemplog » Blog Archive » IDEM: Still Enforcing the Law Wed, 01 Mar 2006 15:22:42 +0000 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-189 [...] Maybe an Indiana dairyman took IDEM Commissioner Tom Easterly a little too seriously when the official said they would not be enforcing CAFO permits:Huntington Dairy Farmer Faces Felonies (Story in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette). Of course, the farmer in question is IDEM’s favorite whipping boy: Johannes De Groot: Johannes De Groot is charged with two Class D felonies for building confined feeding structures on his property without obtaining required approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. De Groot owns De Groot Dairy, a 1,400-cow operation at 8631 W. County Road 200 S., near Andrews. Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison and monetary fines. According to documents filed in Huntington Superior Court, De Groot built a dry cow barn of 120 feet by 60 feet with a cement floor. A dry cow barn houses cows that are not producing milk. He also constructed a silage pad, used for feeding livestock, of about 150 feet by 80 feet with 3-foot cement walls. The structures were noticed by an IDEM staff member who was doing an inspection of the farm Sept. 13.Five years? last I heard D felonies still carried maximum penalties of 3 years. Anyway, De Groot got into a tangle with IDEM a few years back over a manure spill.  That was resolved by an agreement that had the farmer paying $45k and not admitting any wrongdoing. De Groot’s attorney says the farmer had applied for permits for the new structures, and they have never been used. He has no idea where IDEM is getting off filing criminal charges.  Maybe IDEM felt like they needed to get rough with someone after appearing to have given up on enforcing CAFO regulations earlier this year.   [...] [...] Maybe an Indiana dairyman took IDEM Commissioner Tom Easterly a little too seriously when the official said they would not be enforcing CAFO permits:Huntington Dairy Farmer Faces Felonies (Story in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette). Of course, the farmer in question is IDEM’s favorite whipping boy: Johannes De Groot: Johannes De Groot is charged with two Class D felonies for building confined feeding structures on his property without obtaining required approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. De Groot owns De Groot Dairy, a 1,400-cow operation at 8631 W. County Road 200 S., near Andrews. Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison and monetary fines. According to documents filed in Huntington Superior Court, De Groot built a dry cow barn of 120 feet by 60 feet with a cement floor. A dry cow barn houses cows that are not producing milk. He also constructed a silage pad, used for feeding livestock, of about 150 feet by 80 feet with 3-foot cement walls. The structures were noticed by an IDEM staff member who was doing an inspection of the farm Sept. 13.Five years? last I heard D felonies still carried maximum penalties of 3 years. Anyway, De Groot got into a tangle with IDEM a few years back over a manure spill.  That was resolved by an agreement that had the farmer paying $45k and not admitting any wrongdoing. De Groot’s attorney says the farmer had applied for permits for the new structures, and they have never been used. He has no idea where IDEM is getting off filing criminal charges.  Maybe IDEM felt like they needed to get rough with someone after appearing to have given up on enforcing CAFO regulations earlier this year.   [...]

]]> http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-176 Kemplog » Blog Archive » IDEM “Clarifies” Statement on no CAFO Enforcement Tue, 07 Feb 2006 22:20:36 +0000 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-176 [...] Well, many folks on both sides of the CAFO debate locally were quite surprised when Brownfields reported that Tom Easterly, commissioner of IDEM told Indiana pork producers that “IDEM will suspend enforcement of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CARO) permits until the EPA has cleared up the confusion surrounding CAFOs.” (See earlier post: CAFO’s: No State level Enforcement?). Well the reported statement came across as being a broad abandonment of CAFO permit enforcement and this caused IDEM to get a bunch of excited contacts. Brownfields is now reporting that Easterly has clarified his earlier remarks: A quote attributed to me in a February 2, 2006, Brownfield Agriculture Today news article has caused a significant public stir about the agency and its oversight of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Please allow me to clarify the meaning of comments made during the Indiana Pork Producers annual meeting. Because of proposed deadline extensions in the CAFO National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) rule currently being considered by the Water Pollution Control Board, IDEM will not be enforcing the original deadlines for existing farms to file storm water plans, soil conservation plans, nutrient management plans and NPDES applications. It would not make sense for IDEM compliance staff to cite farms for violating deadlines that may change. But we will continue to hold all farms accountable to protect waters of the state. No variance will be given to farms for violating water quality standards. And my staff and I will continue working to educate, guide, assist and oversee confined feeding operations, statewide.Okay, from not enforcing CAFO permits, to not enforcing deadlines on filing management plans.  What a difference a week can make, although I am sure the news sound much better to the pig farmers last week. (thanks to Ed Feigenbaum for the pointer) [...] [...] Well, many folks on both sides of the CAFO debate locally were quite surprised when Brownfields reported that Tom Easterly, commissioner of IDEM told Indiana pork producers that “IDEM will suspend enforcement of Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CARO) permits until the EPA has cleared up the confusion surrounding CAFOs.” (See earlier post: CAFO’s: No State level Enforcement?). Well the reported statement came across as being a broad abandonment of CAFO permit enforcement and this caused IDEM to get a bunch of excited contacts. Brownfields is now reporting that Easterly has clarified his earlier remarks: A quote attributed to me in a February 2, 2006, Brownfield Agriculture Today news article has caused a significant public stir about the agency and its oversight of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Please allow me to clarify the meaning of comments made during the Indiana Pork Producers annual meeting. Because of proposed deadline extensions in the CAFO National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) rule currently being considered by the Water Pollution Control Board, IDEM will not be enforcing the original deadlines for existing farms to file storm water plans, soil conservation plans, nutrient management plans and NPDES applications. It would not make sense for IDEM compliance staff to cite farms for violating deadlines that may change. But we will continue to hold all farms accountable to protect waters of the state. No variance will be given to farms for violating water quality standards. And my staff and I will continue working to educate, guide, assist and oversee confined feeding operations, statewide.Okay, from not enforcing CAFO permits, to not enforcing deadlines on filing management plans.  What a difference a week can make, although I am sure the news sound much better to the pig farmers last week. (thanks to Ed Feigenbaum for the pointer) [...]

]]> http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-167 Sage Fri, 03 Feb 2006 15:07:15 +0000 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-167 This is truly frightening... This is truly frightening…

]]> http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-166 Pila Thu, 02 Feb 2006 21:18:04 +0000 http://www.kemplog.com/2006/02/02/cafos-no-state-level-enforcement/#comment-166 Some people would say that IDEM is still not working. Some people would say that IDEM is still not working.

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