Local News

In Hamilton County, supervisors say matrix needs fixing, but site passes

WEBSTER CITY -- It's a story that's growing more and more familiar throughout west central Iowa.

A room full of people, mostly there to voice opposition to a new hog confinement.

A board of supervisors offering their concerns as well, but emphasizing there's nothing they can do at the county level.

Residents of Hamilton County told the board at a special meeting Tuesday night in Webster City that it hadn't done enough regarding a 4,999-head hog confinement to be built north of Williams.

But the supervisors, showing just as much passion as the speakers from the public at times, insisted they have done everything possible, and told anyone with concerns to take them to the senators and representatives at the Iowa statehouse.

"I said it last year and I'll say it again, this is 70 miles too far north for a solution," said Supervisor Chairman Dan Campidilli, who represents District 2 which includes the confinement site. "You are talking to the wrong person. … I believe this is an issue that can be resolved at the ballot box."

About 45 people attended the meeting, with perhaps a dozen speaking against the project. A hog producer also spoke in favor of the industry, and a representative explained more about the site.

The supervisors voted unanimously that the proposed site from Summit Farms LLC, which will be on 180th Street just off old Highway 20, scored enough points to pass the master matrix. The board has no power to approve or deny the site; only to say whether or not it passes the state's matrix.

"Just say no? We don't have the authority to do that," said Supervisor Doug Bailey. "We are not the Legislature. … We are the point counters."

Supervisor David Young said he's been seeing master matrix applications since the first one came across his desk in 2003, and most people don't know how much work the county puts into double checking them.

"There are a lot of people who haven't been through this process before," Young said. "I have been through 216 hog matrixes in my time here. ... There were 200 applications where not one person came to the public hearing. Did you know that?"

In the time for comments the board heard from Perry Moberly, who said he is the closest neighbor to the site.

"I am the closest resident, which is approximately 1,950 feet away. I see they took points for no business a certain distance away. On Nov. 17, 2017, I started a business at my property," Moberly said.

"I see they also took points for no MMP (Manure Management Plan) within three-quarters of a mile -- there's an MMP surrounding my house," he said. "It was November 8 and 10 of 2017. It's on file. Iowa Select was spreading manure. So those points should be looked at.

"I'm a disabled veteran. I have some sinus damage from when I was active duty. This is not going to help."

Kent Krause, from Pinnacle group of Iowa Falls, helped the site prepare its matrix application.

"Regarding MMPs within 3,960 feet, that's specific to the production site," Krause said. "We look for other production sites that are large enough that they're required to have an MMP. So that would be any livestock facility -- a hog facility over 1,250 head, or a cattle facility over 500 head."

Some questioned the distance from the confinement site to the nearest waterway, which the supervisors said was a drainage ditch.

"What you are calling a drainage ditch is the south fork of the Iowa River," said Rita Anderson. "There is a sign on the highway."

"That is not correct," said Young. "We have the drainage district maps going back to the late 1800s."

He said the green signs put up by the state is in error.

"The state has started putting those on several dredge ditches in Hamilton County. In my opinion they're improperly signed," Young said.

Krause said this waterway in Hamilton County is too small to be considered a major waterway.

Several residents asked the supervisors when the people can say "enough," that they're saturated with animal buildings.

Cathy Carter said she's been a taxpaying resident of the area for 30 years.

"I've got hogs here, hogs here, cattle there," Carter said. "Right now I have to go out, stick my finger in the wind and test the wind direction if I want to hang out laundry, work in the yard, or even walk to the mailbox. Because of the odors coming from all these directions.

"Now if I have it coming from the north-northwest, I'm not going to have an option. Where's my rights as a county taxpayer?"

Krause gave a presentation at the beginning of the night, explaining how the site exceeded the 440 points it needed to pass the matrix.

For instance, the manure from the site will always be injected into the ground to minimize odor, even though it's legal in Iowa to spread it on the surface, Krause said. The building will be surrounded on four sides by trees to cut down odor as well and break up the wind patterns which could carry the smell.

"These commitments are lifetime commitments," Krause said, "for as long as the facility is used. There is no process to change these numbers."

Several residents told the supervisors they needed to find some way to fight approval, and then appeal the permit to the Environmental Protection Commission if the DNR doesn't agree.

"If you don't have any power, maybe you can have some influence down the line," said Virginia Hoelscher.

The supervisors said they'd done all they could.

All three supervisors said there are problems with the master matrix and the approval procedure. And they said they have brought their concerns to state Sen. Jerry Behn, state Rep. Rob Bacon and Gov. Kim Reynolds.

A year or more ago, "before any of this started, I spoke to Governor Reynolds. I said there is a problem in Hamilton County, it needs to be addressed," Young said.

He said the same to Behn and Bacon as well, Young said.

And they're going to do the same thing today, on County Day at the capitol, when they'll stand outside their senator's and representative's office to tell their concerns, Campidilli said.

Campidilli said the supervisors went over every detail of this matrix, and met out at the site with a DNR representative for more than an hour.

"They explained every question I asked," Campidilli said. "We're not sitting on our butts doing nothing."

Years ago the county invested in an expensive laser measuring system, Young said, so they could check the distances between buildings and ensure they match what's on the plan.

This site actually scored more points than the 440 needed to pass, he said.

"Do you realize the other 212 before this only stopped at 440? In my opinion these folks are trying to do some things right," said Young. "According to the matrix this is a good site."