TOWN OF ROSENDALE — A concerned citizens group continues to fight a proposed 8,300-cow dairy operation in the town of Rosendale.
Members of People Empowered Protect the Land (PEPL) have issued written comments to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, urging the DNR to analyze the full environmental impact of the proposed Rosendale Dairy, located on County Trunk M near Triangle Road in northwest Fond du Lac County.
Joann Kotlowski, a member of PEPL, who lives about a quarter of a mile from Rosendale Dairy, said there is nothing "proposed" about it.
"Oh heavens, there are buildings going up, like a huge factory. We understand they are bringing in cattle next month," she said, noting a hayfield has been put in across the street from her house that allows the dairy operation to spray manure on it three times a year.
"There are low roads it (manure) will run across, not to mention seeping into our wells and the marsh. What will it do to our health with this stench across the road all the time?" Kotlowski said.
Co-owner Jim Ostrom said the $70 million project will be a boon for the local, depressed economy.
"We see the project as a win-win for the economy and the environment," he said. "We have a very strong and long track record of meeting and exceeding all environmental requirements," he said.
Represented by Midwest Environmental Advocates, a pro bono legal counsel, PEPL contends a recently released DNR environmental assessment on probable effects Rosendale Dairy would have on the environment is weak and relies on the ability of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) to self-regulate.
"The law requires a more extensive environmental review than the DNR has provided," said Jamie Saul, staff attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates. "We hope the DNR will fully examine the known and anticipated impacts that this facility will have on the community's environment and natural resources."
The document examines Phase 1 plans for the operation, its potential impact on the surrounding area, air quality, water and property values. A public hearing will be scheduled soon to hear comments from citizens. A hearing must be held before the dairy may be issued a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit good for five years.
Jim Ostrom said there are several phases to the approval process. He is part operator of other mega-dairy operations in the state, including Tidy View Dairy near Freedom (7,000 cows), and another at Omro (2,500 cows).
The Rosendale facility, going up on a 2,000-acre parcel, is said to be the largest animal livestock operation in the state. The land is zoned A1 agricultural and carries no restrictions on quantities of animals, said Rosendale Town Chairman Tracy Swayze, who confirmed the operation is being readied for arrival of animals next month.
"The building permits were issued last spring, and they probably received the DNR permits and county permits to go ahead. The town (board) is not allowed to do much in regulation. It all comes from the state and as long as it's on agricultural land, yes, they can build any size farm they want," he said.
Elaine Swanson, a Pickett resident, lives on a five-acre wildlife sanctuary one mile from the Rosendale dairy site. She said, because historically large-livestock operations have never been denied the permits they need, they proceed with what she calls "reckless abandon."
"The quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink is jeopardized by this new factory farm," Swanson said. "Despite the DNR's report stating there are no exceptionable water resources within a five-mile radius of the mega-farm, there is Rush Lake's proximity to the CAFO site. The spreading of liquid manure is projected for fields within two miles of this 'exceptional resource water,'" Swanson stated.
The project is planned in two phases. The first phase, to be completed by the end of this year, includes construction of a free-stall barn, a milking parlor containing an 80-cow milking carousel, a manure handling system and three reinforced concrete manure storage facilities. Half the dairy cows (4,000) along with 150 steers will be brought to the facility.
Phase two, to be completed by spring 2010, plans for the addition of a second free-stall, a second milking parlor and the remainder of the animals to be moved on site.
Ripon resident Jean Wooley said her concerns go beyond the environmental impact to ethical questions.
"What about the animals that will live out their lives crammed into tight quarters in enormous buildings, never grazing in a pasture, living 24/7 in artificial light, being milked three times a day, never walking outside? How much antibiotic will be included in their diet to prevent them from spreading disease in such close quarters," she wrote in a letter to the editor.
Ann and Jack Lindstrom of Appleton said they were shocked when they arrived at their game farm located on Olden Road in mid-October and received a notice that their new neighbor was a CAFO.
"It's dumbfounding that the local DNR has had so many rules for us to abide by with our marsh, and yet no one can be found that will be accountable or assure us that our resource is protected," she said.
"The field surrounding our property is included in the nutrient plan," said Tim Thiel whose family lives one mile from the CAFO site. "We have lived here for 30 years. The five-acre perimeter of our property has never been able to grow crops because of the high ground water in the spring. We will definitely have manure running into our yard every spring if manure is allowed to be spread on this field."
Saul said, at the very least, the group wants to see a reasonable cap put on the size of the farm. With a projected output of 75 million gallons of manure a year, he said only Milwaukee and Madison exceed that type of annual biological waste output.
"The ultimate goal is to see the CAFO not built here or operated in a more sustainable way. There would be a greater support for models that used managed rotational grazing for their animals and used the most technically advanced pollution-control available," he said.
Swayze said the township recently adopted a state livestock siting law that would allow some local regulation when it comes to odor control, but it was not on the books when the permit was issued to Rosendale Dairy.
He sees both sides of the issue.
"It's good because it creates jobs and income for the community, at the same time it's bad because members of the community don't want it," he said.
