Grant County CAFO Study Group Hears from Geologist
According to the Chronicl-Tribune, the committee appointed to consider changes to Grant County zoning ordinances to provide coverage of CAFO’s heard from a geologist Tuesday night:
Dennis Prezbindowski, principle geologist with Indianapolis-based 4D Consulting, made his presentation to a nine-member group of local residents, government officials and businesspeople appointed by the Grant County Area Plan Commission.
Link.
The primary concerns expressed dealt with the existence of numerous petroleum wells in the area proposed for a dairy CAFO near Van Buren. That plus the presence of sandy soils at the site led the geologist to predict that there would be a high risk of ground water contamination from manure lagoon discharges
State officials have asked the engineer working on Friesian Meadows to do more geologic work in the area as part of a federal permitting process because of the possibility of abandoned oil wells. Officials with the developer have said they are taking steps to make sure all abandoned wells are properly sealed.
But Randy Thurman, a Van Buren Township resident and a member of the Area Plan-appointed committee said it would be difficult to protect the area because it was drilled so heavily.
"You’re putting (your water supply) at risk by putting the big lagoons in," Thurman said.
