FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Madison, WI—In formal comments submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on November 12, Midwest Environmental Advocates and the Environmental Law & Policy Center outlined serious concerns regarding the agency’s plan to issue a permit for the expansion of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) near the town of Sevastopol in Door County.
As written, the draft permit would allow Gilbert Farms to expand to more than 2,000 dairy cows and to spread more than 21 million gallons of manure each year in areas of Door County that are highly susceptible to groundwater contamination.
Given the threat to local water resources and public health, many Door County residents oppose the expansion. At a public hearing on November 5, opponents pointed to Gilbert Farms’ well-documented history of environmental violations and asked why the DNR has failed to take any enforcement action.
In addition to calling for increased oversight and monitoring, MEA is urging the DNR to refer Gilbert Farms past non-compliance violations to the Department of Justice for enforcement.
Those calls were echoed by a majority of those who spoke at a public hearing held by the Wisconsin DNR on November 5. Wisconsin law requires the DNR to consider both oral testimony and written comments before issuing a final permit. A decision is expected later this winter.
