Increase in CAFO setback sought (03/24/2009)

Jay County Commissioners wasted no time in trying to find a solution to prevent pollution to local water sources.

The commissioners drafted a recommendation Monday to send to the Jay County Planning Commission suggesting increased setbacks based on size for waste lagoons from flood plains.

The recommendation suggests setbacks of: 300 feet for a 1 million gallon lagoon, 750 feet for a 5 million gallons, 1,200 feet for 10 million gallons, and 1,800 feet for 15 million gallons or greater. The planning commission will be charged with reviewing the proposal and if they support it, it would then move back to commissioners to be amended into the county zoning ordinance.

The move comes in response to growing concerns about a potential 6,400 head dairy operation near the Adams County line proposed by Rooijakkers Dairy, LLC. With the potential concentrated animal feeding operation site near a flood plain and close to a tributary of the Wabash River, the commissioners are attempting to ramp up defenses in anticipation of that particular CAFO, which would locate near county roads 900 North and 250 East, but also with future developments in mind.

The recommendation was forwarded to the planning commission after review of zoning ordinances from other counties.

Preliminary drawings of the site show the dairy installing a 19 million gallon lagoon approximately 500 feet from the edge of a flood plain.

If the new setbacks are enacted, that lagoon would be forced back about a third of a mile from the flood plain.

Several people have expressed concerns regarding possible failure of the lagoon or a flood. The commissioners noted last week that the natural drainage throughout the area is toward the river.

The CAFO, at this point, is still a question mark as Rooijakkers has not applied for any permits locally and, according to Jay County Soil and Water Conservation educator Bettie Jacobs, has not completed applications with the water quality side of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The dairy group was, however, issued a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit by IDEM in late February.

The recommendations will be considered by the Jay County Planning Commission at its next meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. on April 9 in the courthouse auditorium.

In other business Monday, the commissioners:

•Approved a loan for installation of a septic system at 3123 East 650 North, Bryant for Paggy Englehardt for a modular home which will be installed. The commissioners approved the work to be done by Guy Tressler Excavating for $7,500. The money will be re-paid through an assessment on property taxes.

•Opened two bids with Jay County Assessor Terry LeMaster for general reassessment. The bids were, Appraisal Research, $299,550, and Tyler Technologies $423,292. The bids were taken under advisement until the next regular meeting on April 6.

•Spoke with Judge Brian Hutchinson, Jay Circuit Court, Judge Max Ludy, Jay Superior Court, and Wes Schemenour, Jay County Prosecutor's Office, about the county's e-mail backup. The group was concerned that the new e-mail archival software, which was purchased earlier in the month, will save confidential information delivered to the judicial system.

The commissioners agreed to form a committee to decide how to handle e-mail archival. The committee will be headed by commissioner Faron Parr and will also include: Hutchinson, Jay County Emergency Management Agency director Ralph Frazee, Jay County Treasurer Robin Alberson, and Jay County Assessor's Office first deputy Diane Stults.[[In-content Ad]]