Big Shift In Grant County CAFO Ordinance
The Star Press is reporting that Grant County has seen its plan commission pass a new CAFO ordinance that represents a pretty dramatic shift from standard approaches. The ordinance is based on a University of Minnesota study and uses a formula based on odor to establish setbacks as opposed to absolute setbacks:
The new equation the Area Plan Commission voted to use requires animal feeding operations to meet certain percentages of freedom from odor annoyance. The new setbacks:
98 percent odor-free (meaning there would be a 3 percent chance someone would notice the smell) for food processing centers.
97 percent odor-free for cities, towns and schools.
96 percent odor-free from homes.
Link. According to the study presented to the plan commission, the new 2,200 head dairy would have to be 4,000 feet, about 3/4 of a mile, from any homes and a full mile away from any schools.
Albert Heber, a Purdue University professor who studies air quality, told the commission equations were a better idea than set distances because they used scientific backing versus human emotion.
Most of the setback derived under the formula are greater than the ones under consideration when the commission was looking at fixed setbacks.
December 3rd, 2006 12:42
[...] Grant County has adopted new rules for CAFO’s, but it sounds like things are not quite done. The commissioners adopted the recommended ordinance as it deals with setback, but the new “Purdue formula” is yet to be implemented (discussed here): Tuesday, the Grant County commissioners passed 3-0 an ordinance that is much more restrictive for the operations, enacting setback distance of between a quarter-mile and two miles from homes, towns, schools and food-processing centers. [...]